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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25408207">Enemies of the Heir, Beware.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mimifreed/pseuds/Mimifreed'>Mimifreed</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Battle of Hogwarts, Blaise Zabini is a Good Friend, Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Canonical Character Death, Draco Malfoy Has a Sibling, F/M, Harry Potter Angst, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Humor, Lucius Malfoy's A+ Parenting, Mild Gore, Narcissa Black Malfoy is a Good Parent, Non-Canon Relationship, Protective Draco Malfoy, Protective Fred Weasley, Protective George Weasley, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, Redemption, Second War with Voldemort, Teenage Rebellion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 03:35:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>188,953</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25408207</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mimifreed/pseuds/Mimifreed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>(SEQUEL TO HIDDEN HEIR) If you haven't read Hidden Heir, this story will not make any sense to you at all! Please read that one first! Elara Malfoy is now working with Harry, Ron, and Hermione to find the Horcruxes to defeat Voldemort and save her family. Faced with several unanticipated obstacles, she quickly discovers that the path to hell was paved with good intentions.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harry Potter/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>114</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Here starts book two of the Heir series! I hope you enjoy the chaos that is Deathly Hallows with Elara Malfoy! Please come join me at my FB group Mimifreed Writing for sneak peeks and chapter specific mood/story boards! I also have a spotify playlist of all the chapter songs that gets updated with each chapter linked on the FB group!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <strong>Chapter 1: </strong>
  </em>
  <em>
    <strong>Dark Magic, Dark Thoughts.</strong>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>My Mistake by Gabrielle Aplin</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Everything I wanted by Billie Eilish</em>
</p><hr/><p>When Elara came to Hermione's home in Hampstead to spend the summer, she was beside herself with nerves. When Hermione had suggested she stay with her, Elara had initially thought she had lost her mind. She would be putting her entire family in danger to help Elara hide, and although she was excited to learn what it was like, she couldn't fathom how living alongside muggles would be. Harry had agreed it would be best, that it would give them time to convince the Order members to accept Elara.</p><p>She had a feeling acceptance was still far away.</p><p>The first week at the Granger's home, Elara kept to herself. She slept, mostly. Her mind had finally found some quiet, away from all the suffocating emotions of others, and she was in need of rest to heal. Both mentally and physically. Hermione kept her distance, and Elara was thankful that her friend understood she needed space to unpack her own emotions. She needed the quiet time to sort through her thoughts and face everything that she had done, everything she had tried to stop.</p><p>She needed time to wallow in her own misery, to come to terms with the ache in her heart from watching her brother walk into the forest, choosing his path to the Death Eater's clutches. She had to process that when she had the chance to bring her father to his knees, to make him stay where he was to put him back in Azkaban, where he should have been, she made the choice to let him leave. She forced him to walk away and let him escape from the grounds.</p><p>She found the guilt to be consuming. The longer she thought on the events that had transpired over the last term, the worst she felt. She had been so <em>sure</em> of everything she was doing. She thought she had been smart, been clever. She thought she had things figured out when she finally made decisions.</p><p>And now? Now she felt like she had no idea who she was or what she wanted.</p><p>She knew she loved Harry, Hermione and Ron. Harry had a strange hold over her heart that was confusing and exciting and she felt like she was counting down the seconds until she saw him again. The way he stood up for her to the Order in the hospital wing- the way he <em>forgave</em> her. She didn't deserve that forgiveness, she was certain of that, but she was glad to have it. She loved him. And while loving him was baffling and scary, she knew it was love.</p><p>Ron and Hermione, she loved in a different way. Hermione had been there for her from the start. She had taken her side, kept Harry off her back, and her friendship had grown into a bond she was proud to share. She genuinely <em>enjoyed</em> Hermione's company. She liked studying and talking with her. She liked that Hermione was inquisitive and opinionated. Hermione had a seemingly unquenchable thirst for knowledge and she challenged Elara to look deeper into subjects, and Elara appreciated that. Ron, on the other hand, was the furthest thing from clever and inquisitive. But he was funny and sweet and he cared about the people in his life in a way that Elara couldn't. Once he decided you were worth his friendship, he went to bat for you. He had proved that to her the night Dumbledore died.</p><p>But often, her thoughts trailed away from her friends, and they landed in a much darker space. She found it nearly impossible to keep her mind away from the Manor. She obsessed over what Draco would be doing, if he would be in the midst of being tortured or worse—torturing someone else. She longed to see her father's face, to see if his hollowed cheeks had filled, to see if he was still in the emotional agony he had been in before. To see if he was still proud to call Voldemort his Lord, if he had come to regret it. She yearned to hear her mother's songs, to listen to her voice hum her to sleep and fuss over her posture. To see if she had been able to pick herself up from the floor of the Manor and hold any dignity.</p><p>Her stomach stayed in knots, the worry for her parents, for her brother eating into her brain, infecting her psyche like a parasite. Leeching her ability to think clearly about anything else. She could only see them, only think of them. Her mind was so burdened with their wellbeing, she struggled to do much else.</p><p>It was her eighth night at the Granger's where she finally emerged from her room.</p><p>It was dark, the moon had illuminated the room through the open window with a soft silver glow. She looked at the clock on the wall and blinked heavily. It was after ten at night, and she had woken from yet another nap that day. She found herself exhausted all the time, sleeping her fears and guilt away. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and scrunched her toes into the soft grey carpet beneath her feet.</p><p>She crept out of the room and down to the kitchen, she hadn't eaten that day and although Mrs. Granger had made a habit of leaving meals by her door, she had refused them all. She felt her stomach clench in a pang of hunger.</p><p>She opened the refrigerator and stared into the harshly lit, cold box. There was plenty of <em>ingredients</em> inside of it, but she had barely an idea of how to make anything with them without magic. She sighed and settled on a green apple, at least that could be eaten without preparation.</p><p>"If you'd like, I can make you some hot chocolate. Hermione always likes that when she's had a rough go of it."</p><p>The feminine voice startled Elara and she whipped around, clumsily dropping the apple to the ground and stumbling backward into the refrigerator.</p><p>"I didn't mean to startle you, dear." Mrs. Granger said. She was sat at the table, a stack of paper in front of her and her reading glasses low on her nose. There was a soft light glowing above her and Elara wondered how she had even missed the woman sitting there.</p><p>"I'm sorry." Elara whispered. "I didn't mean to-</p><p>"You've hardly eaten anything since you've been here. I'd be more worried if you hadn't come down at some point to sneak something." Her voice was kind, and warm. She stood from her chair and moved toward Elara, turning to a cabinet and pulling out a pot. "Have a seat, darling."</p><p>Elara nodded and took a spot at the table, staring down at the apple she had picked up off the floor. Her attention was brought back to the woman moving in the kitchen, pouring milk into a pot. Mrs. Granger looked so like Hermione, that if she had seen her with her back turned, she would have sworn it was. Her hair was the same soft mahogany brown, wild curls hanging down her back.</p><p>"I have to admit," Mrs. Granger said, as she pulled a knife from a drawer. "I was apprehensive when Hermione explained why you would be here."</p><p>"I appreciate your hospitality." Elara said, quickly. Her Pureblood upbringing pushing her manners forward.</p><p>Mrs. Granger chuckled. "I wasn't sure what to expect. She had said your family was dangerous, and that you needed a safe space to spend the summer. Hermione has never asked to bring anyone from Hogwarts to our home."</p><p>She watched with interest as Mrs. Granger chopped some chocolate into smaller pieces and placed it into the pot, stirring it together. She reached to a rack sat on the countertop, pulling a glass container off of it and shaking a bit of the contents into the mix.</p><p>"Cinnamon." She said. "The secret to a good hot chocolate."</p><p>She poured the contents into two mugs and walked back to the table, setting one of the mugs in front of Elara and wrapping her slender fingers around her own, taking in a long, deep breath, before sipping.</p><p>"You don't have to talk about it, if you don't want to." Mrs. Granger said. "God knows, Hermione doesn't tell us everything that happens at that school. But should you feel the need to confide in someone, my ears are available."</p><p>Elara sniffled, feeling a hot tear pool behind her lashes before sliding down her cheek. "Thank you." She whispered.</p><p>She wanted to talk. She wanted to tell her everything, to feel the comforting words only a mother was capable of saying. She wanted to spill her heartache onto the table, bare and bleeding, for the wonderful muggle woman to see. She wanted to cry about her family. She wanted to explain how she had let her father walk away, how she worried for her mother. She wanted to sob into the warm arms of Mrs. Granger, and cry her worries for Draco into her night robe.</p><p>Instead, she bit back the tears that threatened to follow the one that escaped and wiped it hastily from her cheek with the back of her hand. She took a sip of the hot chocolate and sighed. "This is very good."</p><p>Mrs. Granger smiled. "I may not have magical blood, but there is magic in hot chocolate and what it can do for the soul."</p><p>They sat in silence for a while, sipping the hot chocolate. Mrs. Granger sifted through the papers and marked at them with the strangest quill Elara had ever seen.</p><p>"Mrs. Granger?" She asked, watching the woman's hand make notes.</p><p>"Yes?"</p><p>"What is that?" She asked. "In your hand?"</p><p>Mrs. Granger chuckled and held it up. "It's a ball point pen, dear."</p><p>"And it has ink within it?"</p><p>She nodded. "Here, in this chamber." She unscrewed the pieces of the pen and pulled out a small, blackened tube. "The ink is here, in this tube. The ball on the point disperses it as you write, gravity pulls it into the tip." She put the pen back together and slid a piece of paper to Elara, handing her the pen.</p><p>"Write your name." She suggested.</p><p>The pen was thicker than a quill, and much sturdier. She gripped it and signed her name on the page. "Wow." She chuckled, signing her name over and over. "Muggles really think of everything! This is outstanding!"</p><p>Mrs. Granger laughed. "Much easier than using a quill and inkpot, in my opinion."</p><p>"It really is!" Elara agreed, drawing small stars and other shapes on the paper. "I can't count how many broken quills are in my trunk right now. Draco used to have a terrible time with getting the stopper off his ink pot! He'd be covered in ink and mum would be so…" She trailed off, biting her lip as she thought of her family.</p><p>"It's okay to talk about them, Elara." Mrs. Granger said, her voice soft.</p><p>Elara sighed. "I miss them." She admitted. "And it's wrong, and I know that and-</p><p>"It is <em>not</em> wrong to long for your family."</p><p>"When your family has done what mine has, it is." She said, a deadpanned look on her face as she met Mrs. Granger's amber eyes.</p><p>"You're scared for them." She said.</p><p>Elara nodded. "They've done terrible things. They've made really <em>awful</em> choices."</p><p>"You can't change that." Mrs. Granger's hand rested on top Elara's. It was warm, and soft. "But you can be the good you wish to see in them."</p><p>She rolled the words around her head. Be the good. She had been <em>trying</em> to be the good, and it hadn't gotten her very far! She was without a family, without a home, Marked as a Death Eater with a cupboard full of lies and betrayals she had committed, nearly bursting at the seams!</p><p>"What if…" Elara began, withdrawing her hand from Mrs. Granger's, and placing them in her lap. She looked down at them, watching as she twisted her fingers together. "What if I'm no good at being good? What if I <em>can't</em> be what I want to see in them?"</p><p>"I have come to learn that sometimes all we can do is try. When you stop trying, that's when you fail." Mrs. Granger said. "You haven't failed them yet, have you?"</p><p>Elara pulled her eyes from her lap, slowly meeting Mrs. Granger's deep gaze. She was inquisitive, yet calm. A very distinct mix of emotion that Elara had only become familiar with through Hermione. The question was not rhetorical, the edge to her curiosity demanded an answer.</p><p>"I- I don't know." Elara admitted.</p><p>A soft smile tugged Mrs. Granger's lips up at the corners, her eyes wrinkling slightly. "Then I guess you need to find out."</p><p>Elara went back to bed that night with a new question running through her mind. As she sifted through the pain, sadness, confusion, loss, relief, and fear; she began to wonder what it meant to be <em>good</em>. She laid awake, staring up at the ceiling as the passing lights came and went from the occasional vehicle lights as it travelled down the street. Good felt subjective to her.</p><p>It seemed to be more than just good versus bad. Light and dark. Black and white. Death Eaters and The Order of the Phoenix… She had always lived with the belief that no one was inherently good or bad. That their choices made them who they were… But then, she had made some terrible choices. Did that make her bad? If her intentions were good, if she thought at the time, she was doing the right thing and it all went belly up, did that make her bad?</p><p>The more time she spent thinking about everything that had happened, the way she had handled everything, she didn't <em>feel</em> good. She looked down at her left forearm and unclasped her emerald bracelet. She was thankful that the last thing Draco did for her, was give her the gift of the small dragon amulet that provided her with a very strong glamour charm. As the glamour shimmered and faded away, she stared in disgust at the inky black twisted serpent coming out of the mouth of a skull that was forever embedded in her skin.</p><p>She hated it.</p><p>She hated the mark, she hated everything it stood for. She hated the way looking at it made her feel, how disgusted and angry she was at herself. She should have rejected it. She should have let the fever boil her from the inside, liquefying all of her organs and turned her into a puddle.</p><p>She deserved it.</p><p>She had tried to forgive herself the way Harry had forgiven her. She had tried to reason with herself, to be kind to herself and look at all the good things she had done. But there didn't seem to be many. She had spent so long in her year at Hogwarts, fighting between what she thought she had to do and what she wanted to do, that she became incredibly nearsighted. She allowed fear to consume her and poison her brain, rotting her image of herself and twisting it into maniacal nightmares that plagued her.</p><p>It was the culpability she felt, that warped her idea of herself so greatly. She knew it was irrational to feel single handedly responsible for everything that had happened, but she couldn't convince herself that it wasn't her fault. If she had tried harder to convince Draco to walk away, instead of leaving him on his own, maybe he would have quit working on the task. If she had made Lucius stay, instead of forcing him to follow the others to the apparition point, maybe he would be back in Azkaban, but he would be safe from the Dark Lord. If she would have stayed at the Manor, instead of starting at Hogwarts, her mother wouldn't have been alone; reduced to tonics to stay sane.</p><p>If she would have just done what Voldemort told her to do, forced Dolohov to feel pain, maybe she wouldn't have been forced to take the Mark. Maybe he would have showed her mercy. Showed her family mercy. She was sure that they would be suffering at the hands of her betrayal.</p><p>She ran her fingers over the Mark, she could almost feel the static of dark magic under the pads of her finger as she traced the brand. It made her skin crawl, like a thousand beetles creeping beneath her flesh. She had to find a way to rid herself of the Mark, of the dark magic. She had to find a way to rid herself of the malevolence Voldemort had forced into her. She had to <em>try</em>.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 2: Look the Other Way</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Neon Lights- Dancing Years</em>
</p><hr/><p>The night the Death Eaters entered the castle, still plagued Draco's mind on repeat. He could see the twinkling blue eyes of Dumbledore, baring into his own, as he tried to get him to lower his wand and accept his help.</p><p>He had wanted to.</p><p>More than anything, Draco had wanted to accept Dumbledore's offer. He wanted out. He wanted to be safe and protected and away from this evil that had become twenty-four-hour background noise in his life. He wanted to be with Elara and know that she was safe. He wanted to apologize to her, beg for her forgiveness for not listening to her.</p><p>She was right. <em>She was always right</em>.</p><p>He had foolishly believed that the task was the end. That he would finish the task and that would bring redemption. And then, she had stayed behind. She had fought against them, tried to get to him before Snape shoved him past the gates to apparate away. He had heard her screams tear through the forest as he turned to run back, only to be shoved ahead by Greyback. He yelled for her, beat his fists against the werewolf's massive chest as he was disarmed and stunned. He could still feel the hardened flesh on the back of his neck, scabs that had formed from the puncture wounds of Greyback's nails as he dragged his body to the exit point.</p><p>When they returned to the Manor, he had fallen to all fours and vomited. He had sobbed for fear of what was happening to his sister, the terror gripping his throat and choking him as the weight of what had happened fell upon him like bricks.</p><p>The constriction on his windpipe had only grown tighter since that night.</p><p>Draco wished that night had been the worst of it. Looking back, he had stupidly thought that it would be. He knew it would be bad, he expected that night to be difficult. He didn't know what he expected to happen afterward, perhaps he hadn't thought that far ahead. He <em>really </em>wished he would have.</p><p>The Death Eaters did not celebrate a victory with a party. The Death Eaters celebrated a victory with destruction.</p><p>Every night since the death of Dumbledore, the Manor had been filled with screams of Muggles that were captured by the group. They hunted them for sport, waiting as they exited pubs and shops, following them and scaring them before they bound them and brought them back. The dining room seemed to be their preferred room to use. Draco thought it was because of the acoustics in the room. His mother had made sure the room had good acoustics, so when the charmed strings played at meal times, they could be heard throughout the Manor. However, it also ensured that screams would be heard throughout the Manor from there, as well.</p><p>He had avoided participating in any of their hunts and torture. He locked himself in his room most days, trying to block out the sounds as the muggles begged for their lives, with <em>Muffliato and Silencio</em> charms. He spent a lot of time with his mother, she had become a shell of herself since he had left the house after Christmas break. She was silent almost all the time, rarely speaking a work to anyone. She wandered around the upper east wing, floating quietly between her room and Draco's. Nimsy brought all of her meals upstairs, though she hardly touched them, and Draco couldn't blame her. He hadn't much an appetite since returning home either.</p><p>Tonight, however, was different. After a week of successfully dodging his insane aunt and the other ruthless Death Eaters, his luck had run out.</p><p>They had been gone a couple of hours. The only peace within the Manor now, was when the group left to find some other unfortunate soul to take their purist rage out on. Lucius was helping Narcissa draw a bath and Nimsy was in the dungeons, tending to the prisoner they had locked there. Draco didn't know who it was, and he was terrified to find out. He had left his room, in desperate want of a cup of tea, and made his way to the kitchen.</p><p>He froze, hand reaching into the cupboard when he heard them enter the Manor. Heard the pleading of a female voice through loud, thick sobs, begging for her life. Wanting to know why they had taken her and her friends.</p><p>His heart raced, pounding against his ribs as he waited for them to pass, hoping he would go unnoticed and could quietly sneak upstairs. He was cursing himself, trying to figure out why he had thought it wise to leave his wand on his bed side table.</p><p>Rabastan stopped in the door way, his eyes narrowing as a malicious grin split his face. "Oi!" He said, looking at Draco with a fiery glee in his eyes. "Malfoy. About time you join us for some fun."</p><p>"I wasn't." Draco said, quickly making the shocked fear on his face with a cold indifference. "I'm making a cuppa."</p><p>"Ah, it seems your cuppa can wait." He stepped forward, grasping Draco's shoulder. "It's time you see what we're fighting for!"</p><p>The stench of the man's breath nearly made Draco's eyes water as he shook the hand from his shoulder. "I should get back to-</p><p>"It wasn't a request, boy." Rabastan said, his lip pulling up in a snarl.</p><p>Draco swallowed back the urge to vomit and his face pulled into a tight sneer. Rabastan smiled wickedly at him and motioned for him to walk ahead.</p><p>"That's a good lad!" He said, clapping him on the back as he placed an arm around his shoulders as if they were old friends.</p><p>The thought of being friends with someone like Rabastan made Draco feel sick.</p><p>In the dining room, all hell had broken loose. There were two men and two women, not much older than Draco by the looks of it, bound together and shoved on their knees. One of the men, a pale, dark haired man with dark eyes and rounded cheeks, was yelling at Rudolphus, cursing at him and threatening him.</p><p>"Shut up!" Rudolphus yelled, catching the man's mouth with the back of his hand and splitting his lip. "Muggle filth! You dare speak to me?! You think you have the right?!"</p><p>"Please!" The girl that was tied to the dark-haired man began to cry. The whites of her eyes were red with tears that made her cerulean irises shine from her face. Her curly sandy hair was wildly disheveled and she was bleeding from her nose. They must have tried to put up a fight, Draco thought. "Please don't hurt us anymore! My father- he can pay you and-</p><p>"You think we want your dirty muggle money?!" Bellatrix shrieked, kicking the girl hard in the ribs.</p><p>"I'm sorry!" She cried, sobbing. "Please I-</p><p>At that moment, the girl's eyes landed on Draco, and his went wide. "Please! Help us!" She cried to him; her voice strangled from fear.</p><p>"Look who I found making a cuppa in the kitchen!" Rabastan smiled. "Thought we could let our boy Draco here, have the honors!"</p><p>A wicked smile pulled across Bellatrix's face and she swiftly crossed the room, her wild black curls swarming around her head as she moved. Even her footsteps seemed to fall violently upon the ground she walked. She smiled, leaning in to scrutinize Draco's face. "Come to play, have you?" She cackled.</p><p>He looked straight ahead, staring at the four muggles on the floor. He wanted to look away from them, wanted to turn his head and close his eyes, but he couldn't. "No." He drawled, his voice low and bored.</p><p>"Aw, what a shame!" She hissed. "It's much more fun if you get involved, dear nephew!"</p><p>Draco finally pulled his eyes away from the group of muggles and looked to his aunt's face, a disgusted grimace wrinkling his features. His mind was racing, trying to find a response that wouldn't give away the intense fear coursing through him. Finally, he drew in a light breath and shook his head. "My shoes are one hundred percent genuine dragon hide leather cobbled by hand and trimmed with goblin forged platinum. You don't truly expect me to dirty them with the blood of the filth you brought into my dining room, do you?"</p><p>Bellatrix pulled her head back from his face an inch or two, narrowing her eyes at him a moment before a wide grin pulled her lips and she cackled loudly, throwing her head back in laughter.</p><p>"Just like your father, are you? Too worried about your shoes to have a little fun?! Well, alright. You can just enjoy the show then." She hissed the last of the sentence at him, a warning that he knew meant he was not permitted to leave.</p><p>"I hardly see how you can find entertainment in the same thing you've been doing for eight days. But, by all means, carry on." He said, moving away from her and pulling out a chair, placing the high back against the wall and sitting down. He crossed his legs at the knee and placed his hands on top of them, looking at his aunt expectantly.</p><p>He was thankful that from a young age, his father had taught him the importance of holding the upper hand in a situation by keeping your emotions under control. Admittedly, he wasn't great at it all the time. He had let himself become too emotional in the last year, too invested. With Elara gone, there was no one to remind him to breathe, to calm down, to not make a fool of himself. This was survival now. He either had to eat or be eaten, and he decided he was hungry.</p><p>He would not partake in any of the torturing. Draco had decided that for himself on the first night back, he would not lay a finger on a single muggle. He knew he would be reunited with Elara again, hopefully soon, if he could manage it. And if she knew that he had tortured an innocent person, she would never forgive him. So, he would do what she had done for him, for so long. He would compartmentalize his feelings toward what was happening, put on a blank face and push it back to the furthest corner of his mind, and count the days until he could join his sister and escape.</p><p>He would do what he could to make her proud of him after this was over. He would figure out a way to be better for her, be the person she believed he was capable of being.</p><p>He watched the scene before him unfold, completely detaching himself from his own feelings and willing the bored stoicism to stay in place on his face. He watched as one by one, the Lestranges' prodded, taunted, burned, and sliced away at the small group before them. He watched the fight in the cerulean eyed girl diminish as she whimpered in fear, covered in her own blood and the blood of her friends.</p><p>"Can you not take this outside or must you insist on ruining my mahogany floors?"</p><p>He looked up from the scene after what felt like hours, when Lucius stepped through the threshold of the room, the tapping of his cane on the ground as he gripped the serpent's head for support.</p><p>"Greyback will finish them outside, I'm sure!" Rudolphus said with glee, as he drove a small dagger into the ribs of the ash-blonde man in front of him. The man cried out in pain and Rudolphus laughed, twisting the blade between his ribs. "But until then… Sing for me, lad! Cry louder!" He pulled the blade out and Draco bit back the gag that threatened him as his Uncle by marriage slowly licked the blood from the blade and spat it onto the girl next to him, before driving it back into the man's chest again.</p><p>"Draco, come. We will let our guests enjoy their entertainment without being under our scrutiny."</p><p>A wailing cry echoed through the room as Rabastan grabbed the dark-haired man and yanked his head back, slicing through his ear. Draco felt his stomach churn as the blood poured from the side of the man's head, his ear tumbling unceremoniously to the floor.</p><p>"Do remember to clean up after yourselves this time, Bellatrix." Lucius said, a look of disgust pulling his features.</p><p>"Me?!" She laughed. "That's what house elves are for!" She pulled her leg back and delivered swift, hard kicks to the shaking body of the dark-skinned woman. "To clean up the mess!" Each word was punctuated by another kick to the woman's torso.</p><p>"The house elf is <em>my</em> servant." Lucius said. "Nimsy is not here to clean up the innards of whatever toy you decide to bring into my home!"</p><p>Bellatrix turned on her heel and stomped over to the door, leaving behind her a trail of bloodied boot prints, and stood directly in front of Lucius. She placed her hands on her hips and smiled, her crooked, yellowed teeth showing. "My dear, Lucius, don't be so <em>dull</em>. This is <em>our</em> home, now." Her eyes were glinting with something Draco could only think of as psychotic rage and she jabbed one of her long, thin fingers into Lucius's chest. "You forget where your place is, Malfoy." She hissed.</p><p>Draco watched his father's throat as it bobbed, swallowing his fear. "Don't get blood on the linens." He replied, with far less conviction than his earlier sentiments. He gave Bellatrix one last scathing look before he turned his back and stormed away.</p><p>"Draco, now." He barked, over his shoulder.</p><p>Draco stood and gave the foursome on the ground, writhing in fear and pain, one last look. He clenched his jaw as he walked past Bellatrix.</p><p>She waved her fingers at him, a sinister smile still on her lips. "Toodaloo, nephew." She called.</p><p>Draco stared at the large Grandfather clock in the Drawing room, watching as the pendulum swung back and forth. He focused on the loud ticks, carving the seconds into minutes, as the screams echoed from the west wing of the Manor, reverberating off the marble floors and stone walls.</p><p>With every second that passed, he wished they would just kill the Muggles they had rounded up. But he knew better. Aunt Bellatrix, Uncle Rudolphus and Rabastan enjoyed their screams almost as much as Fenrir Greyback liked to toy with his food. The Lestranges torturing the four young adults they had kidnapped outside of a pub in the village, almost ensured it would be a long, gruesome night. And Greyback hadn't even shown up yet.</p><p>His attention was brought from the clock when his father's shaking hand came into view, a glass of amber liquid in his grasp as he offered it to him.</p><p>"Where's mother?" Draco asked, accepting the glass and taking a greedy gulp of the burning liquid.</p><p>"She retired to bed." Lucius said, sitting in the arm chair opposite Draco and taking a sip from his own glass.</p><p>Draco met his father's eyes. They were perpetually blood shot, he had noticed, in the week or so that he had been home. Whether it was from lack of sleep, the amount of scotch he had consumed, or some sort of mixture of the two, Draco wasn't sure.</p><p>He was positive his eyes looked the same.</p><p>"Are they going to keep this up all night?" He asked, taking another gulp from his glass.</p><p>"If we're lucky, they'll grow bored soon."</p><p>The tone of voice his father used to describe the torture of the people that were captured outside earlier this evening, was similar to how a parent talks of a toddler that is throwing a tantrum before bed. Draco found it unnerving how calm his father seemed to be; but he knew it was a façade. Under the cool, stoic face of Lucius Malfoy, a treacherous sea of terror crashed waves of pain and fear into his eyes. The man was terrified. He knew, because he felt it too.</p><p>Finally, after another round of screaming and raucous laughter, Draco heard a door slam and silence followed after. They had finally taken the group to the grounds to be ravaged by Greyback. Draco felt his posture relax a bit as he leaned back against the chair he was in, bringing his glass back to his lips and sipping at the liquor again.</p><p>He hated the taste of it, if he were being honest. The burn from the liquid as it moved from his mouth to his stomach was almost too much, but it was better than the burn of tears behind his eyes, so gulped it down as often as he could. At least the heat of the flush in his cheeks reminded him he wasn't completely cold blooded.</p><p>"Have you heard anything?" Draco asked, looking up once more to meet his father's eyes. "Anything at all?"</p><p>Lucius shook his head. "No. No one seems to know where she went. Even the Zabini's are clueless."</p><p>"Your sure she's not with Blaise? Hiding out at one of his properties in Italy? Or perhaps, their flat in London…"</p><p>"Draco, I know you want to find her, as do I. But if she doesn't want to be found…" Lucius sighed, knocking back the remained of his drink in one gulp and grimacing as he set the glass on the side table. "Your sister has more fight in her than any one of us. If she's actively working with the Order, she's going to be protected."</p><p>"And if she's not?" Draco asked, his voice hitching in his throat for a moment. "If she went off on her own?"</p><p>"You know as well as I do Elara is not stupid. She wouldn't do that."</p><p>"She isn't stupid, you're right. She's worse than that, she's determined." Draco mumbled.</p><p>"If she returns to Hogwarts the start of term, we'll know about it. Until then, the Ministry will print her photo in the Prophet."</p><p>"You're going to plaster her face onto a wanted ad?" Draco asked, incredulously. "You can't be serious, father! If someone captures her-</p><p>"If someone captures her, they'll take her to the ministry to collect their hundred thousand galleons. After which, she will be turned over to me."</p><p>"And if she's hurt?" Draco was becoming frustrated. He knew the chances of her being on her own were slim. Even if she wanted to go out by herself, that self-righteous prat Potter would never let her risk herself like that. He supposed for that, he should at least be thankful.</p><p>"They'll deal with me." Lucius said, standing to his feet. "I suggest you find something other than your sister to worry about, Draco."</p><p>"How can you say that?" Draco asked, rising from his seat as well. "After everything? After she let you walk away?! How can you-</p><p>"Because worrying about her isn't going to bring her home!" Lucius roared, his calm façade finally cracking. "Because you and your mother are <em>here</em> and I can only handle what's in front of me, Draco! I cannot change the fact that she stayed behind!"</p><p>Draco could hear the pain shaking his father's voice as he spoke, the look of torment on his face. He had never seen his father like this before, broken and scared. Disturbed by the things happening around him and terrified to get involved. He had never seen his father so <em>weak</em>, and it made him gain respect for the man.</p><p>Lucius was right, if he thought about it. Elara had spent sixteen years hiding away from the rest of the wizarding world; surely, she would easily manage hiding away from them. Draco couldn't change the way things had played out, he couldn't take back his mistakes, his bad decisions. He could only regret them and try to do whatever he could to keep what little semblance of family he had left together and safe from harm until the bitter end.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 3: Plans for Removal</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Too Proud (stripped) - Broods</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hurt- Nine Inch Nails</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Trigger Warning: Self-Harm</em>
</p><hr/><p>"I'm beginning to think that the Muggle version of divination is even more ridiculous than the magical interpretation." Hermione said, shaking her head as she flipped through another book. "I mean, honestly! Listen to this—'it is believed that some people who experience psychic abilities were gifted their powers from the other side through a near death experience, allowing them to connect the physical and spiritual world.' If that were the case, Ron, Harry and I would all be psychic! As would a slew of other people!"</p><p>Elara snorted as she turned a page and kept reading the passage she had marked. "I've had my abilities since I was a child, I certainly never had a near death experience that young. I never had one before I went to Hogwarts!"</p><p>"That school is dangerous." Mr. Granger said, pouring coffee into his mug and yawning as he sat at the table, newspaper in hand. "I've told your mother for years that you'd be better off fighting lions than going to that school."</p><p>Hermione chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Yes, Dad. I know how you feel about it."</p><p>"He's got a point, you know." Elara said. "The Triwizard tournament for instance? There's a <em>reason</em> they quit hosting it!"</p><p>"It comes with the territory!" Hermione said. "When every student walking around the grounds is holding a weapon at all times, it only makes sense that occasionally there's some… mishaps."</p><p>"Mishaps?" Elara chuckled. "Coming from the girl that's too afraid of flying to get on a broom, that feels a little hypocritical, 'Mione."</p><p>Hermione laughed. "Flying is recklessly dangerous!" She argued. "There is no reason in the world that any person, witch, wizard, or otherwise, would ever need to be that high in the air, on a flying stick."</p><p>"It's a good way to travel!" Elara said.</p><p>"It is <em>not</em> a good mode of transportation! Not when there's apparition, floo, portkeys… There are so many other forms of travel, that it seems silly to choose flying."</p><p>"So, we're just going to ignore the risks with the other forms of magical travel?" Elara responded, setting her new ball point pen down and crossing her arms over her chest. "Ending up in the wrong place, breaking a rib from landing too hard, or- or splinching!"</p><p>"For the sake of my argument, yes." Hermione laughed. "I am ignoring the risks involved in other forms of travel."</p><p>"I, for one, am a big fan of a bicycle." Mr. Granger said.</p><p>Hermione and Elara both laughed as Mrs. Granger entered the room, leaning down to kiss the side of her husband's face. "Yes Gene, darling, we are all well aware of how drawn to danger you are."</p><p>"Hey now!" Mr. Granger chuckled, returning his wife's kiss. "I'll have you know, falling off a bicycle hurts!"</p><p>They all burst into laughter, Mrs. Granger shaking her head as she crossed the length into the kitchen and put a kettle on and make breakfast.</p><p>"I don't know how to ride a bicycle." Elara admitted.</p><p>"You don't?" Mr. Granger said, looking at her from over the top of his glasses.</p><p>She shook her head. "No. It's not really a common thing in Pureblood houses. I learned how to fly very young, but I never had a bicycle."</p><p>"Well, we will have to fix that, won't we?" He said, a smile tugging at his lips.</p><p>Elara smiled, going back to her notes and skimming the chapter she was on. She was beginning to really enjoy her time here at the Grangers. Hermione's parents were sweet and kind. They were openly loving and treated each other and their daughter with respect. They had been welcoming toward her, and ever since the night she talked to Mrs. Granger, she had caught herself opening up more and more to them.</p><p>"Girls, no books at the table during breakfast, you know the rules." Mrs. Granger said, with a smile on her face as she placed plates of eggs and toast down.</p><p>"Mum, we're doing research! It's important!" Hermione said, scribbling a few notes down.</p><p>"It always is, dear." She chuckled.</p><p>Hermione pursed her lips and rolled her eyes, tucking her pen and paper into her book and closing it before taking her plate.</p><p>"Elara," Mrs. Granger started. "I picked you up some Cranberry juice at the market yesterday if you'd like it with your breakfast?"</p><p>Elara looked up from the toast that she was spreading jam on and smiled. "Yes, Please! Thank you!"</p><p>"I must say," Mr. Granger said, folding his paper and setting it beside him as he grabbed his fork and speared a mound of scrambled eggs. "You have impeccable manners for a seventeen-year-old. Hermione has always been well behaved and respectful, but I know we got lucky with her."</p><p>Hermione's cheeks flushed red as she smiled at her father and took a sip of her orange juice to hide her embarrassment.</p><p>Elara smiled. "I was raised in a Pureblood home-</p><p>"An extremely <em>wealthy</em> Pureblood home. That's important." Hermione said. "Ron is a pureblood and he's got the table manners of a barn animal."</p><p>Elara laughed and continued. "Yes, a wealthy Pureblood home." She agreed. "There's a certain decorum expected in our household."</p><p>"Interesting." Mr. Granger said with a slight nod. "What do your parents do for a living?"</p><p>Elara bit her lip, taking a sip of the cranberry juice Mrs. Granger has bought special for her and sighed. "Well, you see…" She looked to Hermione.</p><p>"Her father was a… Politician of sorts." Hermione explained.</p><p>"He owns a business too." Elara said. "Malfoy Enterprises."</p><p>"How could I forget?" Hermione said. "They deal in trading, right?"</p><p>Elara nodded. "Father mostly just oversees everything now. But they deal in the international trading of rare potions ingredients. Mother usually stayed home or visited with friends and colleagues. She put on galas and big events all the time, but I don't really know what for. I never attended any of them."</p><p>"Ah, a business man!" Mr. Granger said, smiling into his coffee. "Never fancied crunching numbers, myself. That's what the missus does for our dental office, when she's not seeing patients!"</p><p>They continued to make small talk over breakfast, she enjoyed listening to Mr. and Mrs. Granger talk about their work and their lives. It made her feel like she was in a different universe, where she didn't have to be worried or scared. It felt… <em>normal</em>.</p><p>Her mind slipped back to her family as they talked. She thought of breakfast at the Manor during the summer holiday when Draco would come home from Hogwarts. A typical breakfast at the Manor was certainly not the same as it was at the Granger's. Her father would have never dreamed of reading the Prophet at the table. Instead, he would be sipping a scorching cup of black coffee with far too much sugar in it, he always took his tea or coffee on the sweeter than any normal human being could handle side. Elara always thought Draco had inherited his sweet tooth from their Father…</p><p>Her Mother would be fussing over Draco, annoyed that he rolled out of bed and came to breakfast in his pajamas. Draco would yawn and roll his eyes, drinking an identically sweet cup of coffee as Father and complain about the eggs being cold—Mother had asked Nimsy to stop putting warming charms on his food since "he thinks a lie in is more important than a good breakfast." She and her Father would pass surreptitious glances back and forth, of amusement, as Draco batted her off of him. She would smile into her pastries and berries and roll her eyes at Draco's childish behavior. Her Mother would tell her not to roll her eyes and that it was not becoming of a young lady.</p><p>A typical breakfast at the Manor consisted of silly things that always happened, that she had taken for granted. Things that she would never have thought she would miss.</p><p>"Do you not like the eggs, Elara? I can make something else if you-</p><p>Elara shook her head, snapping out her thoughts and picking her fork back up from her plate. "Sorry, got lost in my thoughts, I suppose. Your eggs are lovely."</p><p>"I wouldn't call them lovely, but I'll take the compliment, nonetheless!" Mrs. Granger said, with a pretty smile and a chuckle in her voice.</p><p>Riding alongside of the longing to see them, was a deep anger toward her parents for their backing of the ridiculous pureblood beliefs. Living the last weeks at the Granger's house had showed her one thing for sure: Blood purist ideals were absolutely <em>rubbish</em>.</p><p>The Granger's were absolutely lovely. They were clever, kind, funny, compassionate… They were also extremely well organized and incredibly intelligent. They were wonderful people who contributed to their community and made a difference. She could not grasp the thought that because they had no magical blood, they were less-than. It positively was not true.</p><p>After they finished their breakfast, Hermione and Elara continued to read and compare notes. Hermione had a few interesting topics highlighted to look further into and Elara had learned a ton of new terms. Around eleven o'clock, a tapping sounded at the kitchen window that brought their attention from the conversation about the differences between blood curses and muggle voodoo beliefs.</p><p>"Hedwig!" Hermione said, rising from her chair and going to open the window. She pet the birds head and offered her a treat before taking the parchments from her and watching her fly away. Hermione returned to the table and opened the letter, within it, was another piece of parchment.</p><p>"Harry wrote!" She said, "Clever boy actually listened for once. He charmed it to look like a shopping list!"</p><p>Elara was anxious, she had been desperate to hear from Harry. When she wasn't researching possible avenues of her abilities or dwelling on her own family, she had spent many a night awake thinking of Harry, wondering if he was alright. She remembered him talking about the muggles he lived with, with disdain. She hoped they were treating him well.</p><p>"Elara… You need to see this." Hermione's tone was shaking, riddled with concern as her eyebrows furrowed together on the second piece of parchment. She quickly handed it over to Elara, staring at her as she read.</p><p>Elara looked down at the parchment, a clipping from The Daily Prophet, and her eyes went wide as saucers. There, on the front, was her own face, smiling back at her.</p><p>
  <strong>WANTED: ELARA MALFOY, CONSIDERED DANGEROUS</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>REWARD FOR CAPTURE: 100,000 GALLEONS</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>IF SIGHTED PLEASE CONTACT MINISTRY OFFICIALS IMMEDIATELY</strong>
</p><p>"Considered <em>dangerous</em>?!" Elara said, her voice three octaves higher than normal in her disbelief. "On what grounds could they possibly have me considered dangerous?! I only just got a wand a year ago!"</p><p>Hermione shrugged. "If Death Eaters have infiltrated the ministry, it's likely they know about your abilities. If people think you're dangerous and the ministry is backing that, they'll turn you over."</p><p>"That's absurd." Elara said, her eyes still trained at the picture of her herself, smiling up at her. "Wait a minute!" Elara squinted at the picture, studying the background of it. She looked up from the Prophet and met Hermione's gaze. "I- I know when this picture was taken."</p><p>"Okay…" Hermione trailed off, trying to understand where she was headed.</p><p>"Hermione, this was taken <em>at the Manor</em>!" She nearly threw the paper across the table in her fury. "This was taken last winter! At a gala my mum put on! I was only there for… I don't know… Maybe an hour or so? Mum wanted us to have our pictures taken—some rubbish about her not having enough pictures. It doesn't matter—the point is, no one else would have had access to these pictures. They were taken by <em>our</em> photographer <em>for</em> us!"</p><p>"You don't think your mother would have put a reward on your head, do you?" Hermione asked. "To get you back home?"</p><p>Elara shook her head, her jaw set tight. "No. But my father? My father would."</p><p>"We need to talk to The Order." Hermione said. "We need to figure out what the next steps are. I'm going to write to Ron. He'll be our best chance at getting a message to them."</p><p>Elara nodded. "Hermione, I can't stay here anymore." She said, suddenly. "If they somehow figure out that I'm here, it'll put your entire family at risk. I can't… I can't be the reason something happens to your parents."</p><p>"Well you can't <em>leave</em>, Ellie! If you go out on your own now, you'll be killed."</p><p>Elara frowned, her mouth twisting down to one side as she tried to think of a better option. Of something, <em>anything </em>else besides staying at the Grangers.</p><p>"I have a portkey!" She said, smacking her palm to her forehead before pulling out the small flower pendant she wore on a chain around her neck. "Emiliana Zabini gave it to me at Christmas to use if I needed to. It'll take me to Italy where-</p><p>"Where you'll be instantly captured because that will have been the first place they searched and they probably have Death Eaters watching her properties." Hermione said, an expectant look on her face. "I'll write Ron. Hopefully we'll get a response in the next day or so, and we'll be able to work out a plan."</p><p>Elara sighed in defeat. Hermione was right. Even if she were to leave and go to Blaise's, they were surely watching his properties. If there was one thing she knew about her father, it was that he was thorough, and if it came to finding her, it wouldn't be long before a group of Death Eater's showed up on Hermione's door step.</p><hr/><p>It took four days to get a response from Ron. Hermione had enclosed the clipping from The Prophet and made sure he understood that it was extremely important that they receive a response quickly. They were running out of time. It was already the second week of July, and they were no closer to finding out any information that could help them control her abilities, no closer to finding any Horcruxes and the longer she stayed at Hermione's, the more danger her family was in.</p><p>Not to mention the nightmares had taken a different route over the last two days. Now, instead of reliving the night of Dumbledore's death, seeing Draco or her father in front of her, the overwhelming regret and guilt she felt nearly suffocating her in her sleep—she saw Voldemort.</p><p>She could see him in her mind almost as clearly as if he were in the room with her. He was taunting her, never saying anything. She would wake and her Mark would be burning under the glamour charm. She could almost feel the twisting static energy pulsing through her.</p><p>She was in her room with the door closed, having just woken from a night of restless sleep. She sat pretzel-legged on her bed, a thick, ancient book in her lap as she read through the passages over and over. The ancient idea of blood letting to "bleed out" dark magic, to allow the magic to seep from one's magical core. She wasn't sure how it would work, but she was desperate.</p><p>She had to sever the connection. She couldn't go to sleep tonight, knowing that Voldemort would get in her head again, would infect her mind and it was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the pull of the Mark. The constant twisting and burning of it as he called for her, over and over, without a second's rest.</p><p>But this was <em>insane</em>, wasn't it?</p><p>The thought of "bleeding out" the dark magic… It was absolutely mental.</p><p>But then again…</p><p>There were so many documents in muggle history to back up the idea of blood-letting to rid the blood of incurable diseases. So much so, that royalty often used leeches to suck the poisons from their blood. That witches and wizards of the old time would use controlled spells to bleed out the infection of dark magic. Because to them, that's what it was. An infection. A taint of their soul, of their magical core, that could be reversed.</p><p>And it could be, couldn't it? She hadn't <em>wanted</em> to take the Mark. She didn't <em>want</em> to submit to Voldemort, to agree to accept the magic. It was literally killing her! She had thought that if she accepted, if she agreed, that it would help save her family. To keep them in good graces! And it had worked, hadn't it? Her father and Draco had gone back to, presumably, the Manor after that night. They would more than likely be unharmed since Dumbledore's death had been a success. And she could <em>hopefully</em> find a way back there, find a way to get them to actual safety where they wouldn't be under the oppressive thumb of Voldemort and they could finally live free and make the right choices.</p><p>Before she could think further into it, she pressed the tip of her wand to the spot on her arm that burned the most and muttered "<em>Diffindo</em>", wincing as it created a small slash in her arm. She furrowed her brows and watched as the crimson liquid collected at the surface and pooled onto her skin before spilling over the plane of her forearm, leaving haphazardly shaped droplets on the pages of the ancient book in her lap.</p><p>She didn't feel any better as she watched her arm bleed.</p><p>A knock on the door pulled her focus from her arm and she muttered a quick healing and cleaning spell, hastily closing the book on the marked page and shoving it under her bed.</p><p>"Ellie? Are you awake?"</p><p>"Yes. Come in!" She said.</p><p>The door creaked open and Hermione walked in, a parchment in hand. "Ron wrote back." She said, closing the door behind her and sitting on the foot of the bed. She drew her feet up and handed the parchment to Elara, watching her read it and waiting for a response.</p><p>
  <em>Hermione</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They know about the Prophet. Mum wants you to come to the burrow on Saturday to stay the rest of the summer. Tonks reported that she thinks your house is being watched, don't go outside until you come here. There are plans being made.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>See you Saturday</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Ron</em>
</p><p>"Your house is being watched?" Elara said, slowly pulling her eyes to Hermione's face. "Because of me?"</p><p>She shook her head. "I don't think so. I think they'll be watching to see if Harry comes here. He's never been here, but they wouldn't know that. I assume if they were looking for you, they wouldn't simply be watching my house. They'd have worn down my wards by now and blasted through it."</p><p>Elara chewed her lip a moment and nodded. "You're probably right."</p><p>"We're going to have to disguise you, when we leave. I don't have enough time to make Polyjuice. Perhaps, we can transfigure your hair and give you sunglasses to cover the color of your eyes, in case they're close enough to see it. Your features are too…" Hermione trailed off, looking for the word.</p><p>"Too Malfoy." Elara offered, chuckling. "My hair alone would give me away."</p><p>Hermione nodded. "I can charm it. A different color should do fine."</p><p>"Turn it red." Elara said. "They know you're friends with the Weasley's. Watching you come out of your house with a red-haired friend shouldn't cause any alarm."</p><p>Hermione nodded. "Yeah… Ellie?"</p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>"I need to… I need to talk to you about my parents." Hermione shifted uncomfortably.</p><p>Elara furrowed her brows, looking at her with concern. "What about them?"</p><p>Hermione sighed, twisting her fingers together in her lap. "I-I need to make sure they remain safe. If they're already watching my house, they're going to come looking eventually. They're going to come knock down my door. Not even for you. They'll be looking for me. They'll be looking for Harry. And-and they'll kill mum and dad."</p><p>Elara chewed at her lip, nodding her head. She knew Hermione was right. Once the Death Eaters had exhausted their options, once the school year started and they realized Harry hadn't returned to Hogwarts. They would begin asking questions. They would begin knocking down doors and two Muggles with a connection to Harry's best friend? They would certainly be tortured or killed for information.</p><p>"What do you want to do?"</p><p>"I've thought a lot about it." Hermione said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I've been trying to figure out what will keep them safe… The only way to ensure their safety, to be <em>absolutely</em> certain that they aren't harmed, is to remove myself from their life and get them away from here."</p><p>"So where are you going to ask them to move?"</p><p>"I'm not going to just ask them to move." Hermione finally looked up from her lap, her eyes burning into Elara's. "I'm going to <em>Obliviate</em> myself from their memories."</p><p>Elara's jaw fell open and her breath caught in her throat. "<em>What</em>?! Hermione! You can't-</p><p>"I <em>have</em> to." She said. "It's the only way to be sure-</p><p>"It isn't the only way! We could have The Order stay nearby and-</p><p>"Ellie… You know that isn't going to guarantee their safety. I've thought about this, over and over. I've tried to come up with <em>anything </em>else."</p><p>The air became heavy in the small room as Hermione's sadness filled it. Elara could feel the desperation and fear in Hermione, the worry and contemplation. She was scared for her family, and Elara could relate to that, she could understand that better than anyone.</p><p>"Hermione, it's a really hard thing… Taking away someone's memory. To wipe it clean completely of you, of everything they've worked for here… It's wrong."</p><p>"It isn't wrong, Ellie." She said, a bit of irritation edging into her tone. "You've tried to manipulate memory for far lesser reasons than this."</p><p>Hermione's gaze was hard, her jaw clenched tight. Elara sighed. She wanted to be angry at the words, she wanted to yell and tell Hermione she didn't know what she was talking about, but she couldn't. Hermione wasn't wrong. She had manipulated Harry's memory of a kiss, and that was completely self-serving. She had tried to manipulate Katie Bell's memory to hide that she had been the one to give her the necklace. Hermione's reasoning was nothing but love and protection for her family. It was not self-serving. It was self-sacrificing.</p><p>"What are you going to make them think?" Elara asked. "How are they going to-</p><p>"I've already began planting seeds." Hermione said. "I've started altering their memories here and there over the last two weeks… I want them to leave the country, so I have to plant that seed. Make them forget that they wanted to open a second practice in London."</p><p>Elara nodded. "Where will you send them?"</p><p>"Australia." Hermione said. "Mum has always loved it there. She went a lot when she was young, my Grandparents used to take her there for holiday."</p><p>"And you're going to just… Just erase yourself? Completely?"</p><p>Hermione nodded. "That's their best chance. If they don't know I exist, they can't lie for me. They won't be able to be tracked as having any connections to me. I've already made them passports and identification cards with different names. Monica and Wendell Wilkins will have a good, long life."</p><p>"When?" Elara whispered, reaching out for Hermione's hands. "When will you do it?"</p><p>She gave a watery laugh, squeezing Elara's fingers in her own. "I guess on Saturday. We'll leave in the evening. I'll do and give them a Sleeping Draught, so I can remove my pictures and items from my room. I've packed it mostly, gotten rid of a lot of the things that would be very obvious that the room was more than just a spare."</p><p>"We'll find them, Hermione, when this is over. We'll restore their memories." Elara said.</p><p>Hermione nodded, a few tears slipping through her lashes and streaking her cheeks. She sniffled and took a slow breath. "I'm interested to hear what The Order has planned. I can't imagine it's going to be of any use, though. I'm certain no one is going to be okay with use just leaving to look for Horcruxes and not telling them where we're going."</p><p>Elara nodded, taking her hands back into her own lap with one last, light squeeze. "Do you think Harry will be at the Burrow?" She asked, her voice full of hope.</p><p>Hermione shrugged. "I doubt it. If he leaves his aunt and uncle's, he loses protection. Dumbledore made sure he'd be safe there until he turns seventeen."</p><p>"What happens after?"</p><p>"The wards crumble, I'm guessing. They'll have to get some sort of plan together for that, if they haven't already. Moving him from the Dursley's is certainly going to be difficult. I assume Death Eaters will be coming to that house in droves once he's of age."</p><p>Elara nodded. "So there's, what? Just over two weeks until then? That's not a lot of time."</p><p>"No, it's not." Hermione agreed.</p><p>They continued to talk, trying to figure out some sort of plan for Hermione's parents. It filled Elara's heart with ache, knowing what Hermione was going through in order to keep them safe. To keep them ignorant of the wizarding world's affairs. She had come to discover that Mr. and Mrs. Granger didn't know much about Hermione's time at Hogwarts. She told them only the mundane things, the things any muggle teenager would tell their parents. They knew of her courses, of the Quidditch matches, of the professors. However, she had not divulged anything that may cause them worry or stress. She had not told them that her friendship with Harry had a penchants for danger. She had not told them much about Harry at all, actually. They only knew he was famous and that his parent's death had been impactful for the Wizarding World at large, they knew not of the war that was brewing, the pain and suffering that the years of attending Hogwarts had revealed to Hermione.</p><p>Elara wondered how hard that must be for her, to hide so much of herself from the people she loved most. But, then again, she supposed she had been doing the same for so long. She had spent years following the rules and abiding by the Malfoy decorum, and she had always hated it. She didn't mind that her parents had tried instill a sense of pride in her. Pride for the family name, for their heritage. She <em>did</em> mind that that pride had warped and demanded she follow her father's beliefs. The galas, the balls, the events—that came with the territory when it came to wealthy people, magical or not. She didn't mind that she was expected to maintain a respectful, obedient nature around guests and elders. She just couldn't bring herself to follow their beliefs. She couldn't bring herself to <em>agree</em> with her father's cause. That anything other than purity should be condemned.</p><p>She wondered often, if he had always believed it, or if he had a moment—an event that took place, that forced his beliefs so sideways that he became hateful and arrogant to anything he believed was beneath him. She thought of his mother, of the memory he showed her. Of the fear in the woman's eyes as she looked to her son moments before taking her own life.</p><p>Maybe that was why he had so much hatred.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 4: Warm Welcomes and Hard Goodbyes</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Wake Up – Arcade Fire</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Young Liars – TV on the Radio</em>
</p><hr/><p>Hermione was pacing the floor of Elara's bedroom, her hands tearing through her wild mane of brown curls and she was talking faster than Elara could keep up with. Her anxiety was almost smothering. Elara sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for Hermione to collect herself.</p><p>She knew it would be hard. She knew it would be painful. Elara knew that doing this, that removing herself from her parents' lives would destroy a piece of Hermione.</p><p>"What if I do it, and they still get tracked down?" Hermione said, her breathing coming in short, panicked pants. "What if I mess up the spell and it erases <em>everything</em>. What if they can't remember who they are and- Oh my God! W-what if they end up like Lockhart?! What if they-</p><p>"Hermione," Elara said, standing from her bed and walking to her friend. She placed her palms on her shoulders, forcing a serenity onto the girl. "Breathe."</p><p>Hermione took a deep breath and looked into Elara's eyes. "Thank you." She whispered.</p><p>"They're going to be home soon." Elara said. "You need to stay calm so that you <em>don't </em>mess up the spell."</p><p>"Can you- Will you help me with that?" Hermione asked, her voice shaking. "I don't think I can on my own."</p><p>Elara nodded, taking her hands and looking into her eyes. She felt Hermione's tight muscles loosen as she visibly relaxed, her shoulders dropping a bit and the tightness in her jaw unclenching. She tried to project as much calm feeling into Hermione, without making her drowsy, as she could.</p><p>"Better?" Elara asked, dropping Hermione's hands.</p><p>Hermione nodded. "Yes. Thank you."</p><p>Elara's lips pulled up into a soft smile. "I'm packed. I removed everything from their bedroom that could possibly be connected to you, and I took down the photographs in the hall and sitting room and altered them."</p><p>"Hopefully they don't notice them before-</p><p>"I added a notice me not to them." Elara interrupted. "So, they won't look at them before."</p><p>Hermione nodded. "I've boxed up everything in my room that I'm leaving behind and transfigured most of it. I marked it for donation, so they're going to think it's just a bunch of rubbish to take to the shelter later."</p><p>"That's a good idea." Elara said.</p><p>Hermione turned and walked to the window, staring into the street as the sound of a vehicle entering the car park rumbled. Elara noticed the tears escaping her eyes as she quietly wept. She stepped toward her and pulled her into a tight embrace.</p><p>"You'll see them again, Hermione." She whispered. "I promise. After everything calms down, we'll go to Australia and find them."</p><p>"You're a good friend, Elara." Hermione said, as she wept into her shoulder. "Thank you."</p><p>Elara chuckled. "You've been good to me. I can't repay you and your parents for everything, for letting me stay here, for being kind to me, for trusting me. But I'll try."</p><p>Hermione pulled back when the sound of the front door brought her out of her misery. Elara watched as Hermione's face faded from grief to focus and she crossed the room, wiping her face with the back of her hand.</p><p>"We have to do it now. Before I lose my nerve." Hermione said.</p><p>Elara nodded, crossing the room to grab her bag and slinging it over her shoulders. "Ready?"</p><p>Hermione nodded and followed Elara out of the room.</p><p>Mr. and Mrs. Granger had just finished putting away the groceries they had picked up at the market. They were chatting in the kitchen and Elara watched as they leaned in, to sneak a quick kiss, before realizing they had a crowd.</p><p>"Hello girls!" Mr. Granger chirped. "Headed out?"</p><p>"Not yet." Hermione said, her voice unwavering. "Could you sit down? Ellie had something she wanted to say."</p><p>"Is everything okay?" Mrs. Granger asked.</p><p>Elara nodded. "Yes, I'd just like to talk to you."</p><p>Mrs. Granger shot her husband a worried look as they set the paper grocery bag on the counter and headed to the sofa, sitting together, shoulder to shoulder.</p><p>Elara stood in front of them and smiled. "I just really wanted to thank you for taking me in and being so kind to me. You really are just wonderful people and I'm thankful my first experience with muggles were with you."</p><p>Mrs. Granger brought her hand to her chest and smiled. Hermione moved behind the sofa and drew her wand, looking at Elara as she pointed it to the back of her parent's head. She gave a slight nod. Elara walked into the kitchen and quickly returned with a small box full of tea cakes.</p><p>"I made these for you, I know it's not much, but I wanted to do something to repay your kindness." She handed them the cakes.</p><p>They each took a cake from the box and smiled, biting into it.</p><p>It had been Hermione's plan. To have Elara talk to them and offer them cakes, which were laced with a sleeping draught. She knew her mother's love of the cakes would instantly entice her and her father, not wanting to be rude, would try a bite. A bite was all they needed to take.</p><p>Once Elara could see that the bite each of them had taken was swallowed, she met Hermione's eyes and gave the slightest of nods.</p><p>"Elara, that's so sweet of you dear. You didn't have to do anything for us. We've enjoyed…."</p><p>Hermione's arm was stretched out, holding firm as her wrist twisted and Elara heard the whispered "<em>Obliviate"</em>. She turned her wand, slowly pulling it backward as if tugging the memories from her parents' heads. Elara watched as their eyes began to droop and go blank. They each blinked heavily a few times before relaxing into the couch and slumping toward one another.</p><p>Hermione's lips were pursed tight as a single tear escaped her eye and splashed from her chin.</p><p>"It's done." She whispered.</p><p>Elara heaved a deep sigh and scrubbed her face with her hands. "We'd better get going."</p><p>Hermione stepped around the front of the sofa and stared at her parents' sleeping faces. She slowly bent down and pressed a kiss on each of their foreheads, whispering "I love you". Elara's heart clenched at the sight of her friend's sadness.</p><p>This war had barely begun and it had already taken away so much from them.</p><p>"I need to change your hair." Hermione said, looking over her shoulder. "And then we can leave."</p><p>Elara nodded and stepped forward. Her eyes remained on Mr. and Mrs. Granger's sleeping forms as Hermione turned around and muttered a spell to turn her hair a fiery ginger shade. Elara tugged her fingers through her hair, gathering it up to the top and tied it into a bun.</p><p>"We can apparate on the next block." Hermione said. "There's a little alley we should be able to go into relatively unnoticed. If we apparate from here, if the house is being watched, they'll know."</p><p>Elara nodded. "I'm ready when you are."</p><p>As they walked from Hermione's home, they remained silent. Hermione seemed lost in thought, heavy hearted with leaving her childhood home for the last time. Elara could feel the emotional pain she was in and realized Hermione's need of a moment to process what she had just done.</p><p>Elara felt nervous as they neared the apparition spot. She wasn't sure what to expect upon arriving at Ron's home. She assumed Ron would have told his family that she was with Hermione, that she would be arriving as well. The Order was surely still skeptical of her. Even with Harry, Ron and Hermione showing loyalty to her in front of a few of them in the Hospital the night Dumbledore died. But with the circumstances, the way they all trusted Snape… She couldn't imagine them taking her on without a fight.</p><p>Hermione looked around, checking over their shoulders as she pulled Elara into the small alley behind a shop. Elara grasped her hand and took a deep breath, waiting for the unpleasant sensation to begin. Hermione gave her one last pointed look and they were gone from the alley, their eardrums full from the pressure of feeling like they were being shoved through a rubber tube. Just when Elara thought her ears may burst and her lungs ached for a breath, she felt her feet hit the ground.</p><p>"All right?" Hermione asked.</p><p>Elara nodded. "Still in one piece, so that's a good sign."</p><p>Hermione smiled, pointing in the distance. "It's just over that hill. Shouldn't take long to get there."</p><p>"Hermione, are you-</p><p>"I'm fine." She said. "I don't really want to talk about it. But I'm fine."</p><p>Elara took the hint and changed the subject. "I'm nervous." She admitted.</p><p>"Nervous? About what?"</p><p>"Being there, with The Order. The last time I was with anyone from it, they had their wands drawn on me and Dumbledore had just died. I'm afraid they aren't going to be as accepting as you all seem to believe they will be."</p><p>"They aren't going to accept you without good reason." Hermione agreed. "But they'll listen to Harry. Harry was the only one who didn't trust Snape… He had tried over and over to tell them Snape shouldn't be trusted. I think they'll listen to his judgement here."</p><p>Elara sighed. "I hope you're right."</p><p>As they climbed the hill, Elara could make out a very odd building coming into view. It was tall and misshapen, as if a few rooms had randomly been added where ever they could fit them, to create room. It swayed a bit in the July breeze and Elara feared if the wind blew too hard, the building may topple over. The land surrounding it seemed expansive, a small orchard to the right, shrubs and odd plants littered the grounds. Chicken clucked as they walked around, staking their claim on the land and chasing the gnomes throughout the garden. She could hear the booming of loud voices, people talking and calling after one another outside as the sun began to set, tinting the sky in a deep orange hue.</p><p>"Is this…?"</p><p>"The burrow." Hermione said, a small smile pulling at her lips.</p><p>They stopped just outside the wards of the home. Elara could feel the magic tingling around them, protecting the grounds from any harm. These wards were strong, they felt almost impenetrable.</p><p>"Are we going to be able to get through these wards?" Elara asked, eying the perimeter, skeptically.</p><p>"If they've told us the day to come, I'll assume they'd have altered them." Hermione said.</p><p>Elara nodded, sinking her teeth into her bottom lip and taking a tentative step forward. She felt the buzz of the magic as she moved forward, crossing through the threshold of the ward and stepping onto the land of the Weasley's.</p><p>She blew out a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding and did a short jog to catch up to Hermione. They approached the house and before they could make it to the steps leading to the entrance, the front door burst open.</p><p>"…If you don't clean up that mess, I swear I will-</p><p>"Yeah, mum! Alright! Don't get your cloak in a twist! I'm doing it now!"</p><p>Ron was yelling over his shoulder, responding to whatever demand his mother was making. Hermione laughed lightly and Elara bit back a smile. Ron turned around and stopped in his tracks, his eyes going wide.</p><p>"Mione! Ellie!" He cried, almost sprinting to where the girls stood. Ron wrapped his arms around Hermione in a tight hug and then pulled Elara into his chest. "You made it! You both all right, then?"</p><p>Elara laughed, pulling out of the embrace and nodded. "Yeah, we're all right!"</p><p>"You didn't respond, I wasn't sure what time you'd be coming!"</p><p>"I thought it best to limit the traffic of post to your house." Hermione said. "If my house were being watched… I didn't want them to know we'd be coming here."</p><p>"I knew you'd think of something, you always do!" Ron said, brightly. "C'mon, let's go inside. Mum's started making supper. She'll be thrilled you're here!"</p><p>Elara highly doubted that anyone aside from Ron and Ginny would be happy to see her here.</p><p>They walked up the stairs and the moment the door opened Mrs. Weasley could be heard shouting from the opposite side of the kitchen.</p><p>"Ronald! I know it takes longer than that to…" She stopped mid-sentence as she rounded the corner and noticed Elara and Hermione. "Hermione!" She opened her arms and stepped toward her, pulling Hermione into a hug. She gripped her shoulders and looked her up and down. "Thin as ever, you are! I swear don't any of you <em>eat</em>?!"</p><p>Hermione chuckled. "It's nice to see you Mrs. Weasley."</p><p>"And… Elara." Mrs. Weasley stopped before her, eying her in confusion and Elara remembered her hair was still red. "Transfigured your hair, have you?"</p><p>"Hermione's idea." She said. "Thought it might help to keep anyone from following us."</p><p>Mrs. Weasley gave a nod pat Elara on the shoulder. Elara could tell she was uncomfortable with her being there and she felt the pit in her stomach grow larger. "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley. For letting us come and stay with you."</p><p>"Ah, well! Of course! As long as you don't mind helping us around here for the wedding!"</p><p>"The wedding?"</p><p>"Bill and Fleur." Ginny said, appearing in the doorway. "Mum's driving us all mad with-</p><p>She ended her sentence after catching a glimpse of her mother's irate face.</p><p>"Is… Is Harry here?" Elara asked, following a several moments long and very awkward silence.</p><p>Ron laughed. "You think that if he were here, it would've been <em>me</em> greeting you with a hug by the door? I reckon he'd still be snogging you out there if he were."</p><p>Elara rolled her eyes, feeling her cheeks grow hot. "Shut up, Ron." She muttered, smiling at Ginny's laughter as she walked away.</p><p>"At any rate," Ron continued. "He won't be here for another week. But we'll know more about that tonight. The rest of The Order should be here soon. We'll have a meeting and smooth out the details then!"</p><hr/><p>Again, Elara felt nervous. She fidgeted on the edge of Ron's window seat, bouncing her leg continuously and repeatedly smoothing out her hair and tee shirt. Ron's room was in the attic, up several very narrow flights of stairs. The wind whistled as it blew about the height of the topmost story of the house.</p><p>"The Order is starting to show up." She said, noting the people walking toward the perimeter of the house.</p><p>"You all right, El? You look like you're gonna be sick." Ron said.</p><p>"Ron! You can't just tell a girl she looks ill!" Ginny said, smacking her brother in the chest with the back of her hand. "That's rude!""</p><p>"Well, she does!"</p><p>Elara laughed. "I'm fine. Just nervous."</p><p>"Nervous? What are you nervous about?" Ron asked, pulling his trainers on and lacing them.</p><p>"She's afraid they won't want her here." Hermione said. "After the way Lupin and Tonks treated her in the Hospital Wing, can you blame her?"</p><p>"To be fair, I admitted to helping Draco." Elara said. "But, yes. I'm afraid they'll turn me over…"</p><p>"They won't be turning anyone over." Ron said. "I'll make sure of it. Harry would have their necks if they tried to treat you like a prisoner."</p><p>"Harry isn't here." Elara said. "Your mum didn't seem too thrilled."</p><p>"Ah, mum will get over it. She'll get to know you and she'll love you like she does with everyone."</p><p>Elara sighed at her friend's optimism. She wanted to believe Ron. She wanted to think that everyone could just accept her being here, accept that she wants to help. She knew it wouldn't be that easy. She stood up, tugging her jean shorts down a bit at the hem and smoothing out the wrinkles of her shirt. She tossed her hair behind her shoulder, shaking the long blonde strands down her back. She was thankful that Hermione returned her hair back to its natural state, but she was sure it would cause a shock to the adults filing into the house.</p><p>They group walked down the stairs and into the sitting room. Elara looked around for the first time since she and Hermione arrived two hours ago. There were several photos of the family placed around on the tables and mantles. A few lumpy old sofas lined the walls as well as old, mis-matched arm chairs. It certainly wasn't as grand as the sitting room at the Manor, nor was it as crisp as the one at Hermione's home. But it was warm, and cozy. Elara felt she understood more about Ron, seeing his home.</p><p>As they entered the kitchen, Elara caught glimpse of everyone filing outside.</p><p>"Mum wants us all to eat outside, she said there isn't enough room for everyone in here."</p><p>Elara looked up to see Bill Weasley, his scarred face giving him away instantly. She felt a tug of guilt pull in her chest as the man greeted his brother with a quick hug, pulling his sister in for a much warmer embrace afterward.</p><p>"Hermione. Elara, I presume?" Bill nodded to them both.</p><p>Elara nodded back. "Pleasure."</p><p>"Let's go, you lot. They'll start talking about everything without us if we don't hurry up." Bill said, turning on his heel as he adjusted his leather jacket and stepped out of the house.</p><p>They followed the eldest of the Weasley siblings out to the back of the garden, where a large table was set. There were several familiar faces—Both of Ron's parents, Fred and George, Fleur, Lupin, Tonks and Hagrid. Several other new faces were present as well, one face stood out amongst the small crowd of people and Elara's breath caught in her throat.</p><p>A woman was standing behind the chair of a man with fair hair and rectangular glasses. The smile on her face nearly knocked the wind from Elara's lungs. Her feet stopped as she stared at the woman. Her dark hair was wild with curls, pulled back from her face with a golden hairpin. She had wide, dark eyes and pale skin. She smiled with her entire face, her eyes wrinkling up on the sides and her lips curling to show her perfect, white teeth.</p><p>She looked every bit like Elara's Aunt Bellatrix Lestrange, except that smile.</p><p>That smile was her mother's.</p><p>"Who is that?" Elara asked Hermione, nodding in the direction of the woman.</p><p>"Oh—I'm not sure, actually. She looks a lot like…" Hermione's mouth pulled into a tight line as she looked at Elara.</p><p>"That's Tonks' parents." Ron said. "Andy and Ted."</p><p>"Andy? As in… Andromeda?" Elara spoke softly, looking directly at the woman as her brain struggled to connect the dots.</p><p>Ron shrugged. "Dunno. I'm famished. Mum made roast beef today and…"</p><p>Elara stopped listening as she pushed her feet forward. She stopped on the outskirts of the group, watching everyone as they took their seats, unsure if she should sit as well or turn around and run back inside.</p><p>"Elara?"</p><p>She noticed that the crowd of people stopped talking and she felt nauseous. She didn't want all of these people staring at her, she didn't want to be questioned over and over again. For the first time in weeks she wanted nothing more than to crawl into a bed and hide under the blankets and ignore the world around her.</p><p>"Elara Malfoy." The woman spoke again.</p><p>Elara gave a weak nod and she was startled when the woman raced to her side, wrapping her arms around her frame in a tight embrace. She stood still for a moment, trying to process what was happening. She slowly pulled her arms to the woman's waist, returning the hug, her eyebrows pulled together in confusion.</p><p>She pulled away from Elara and held her out at arm's length, scanning her up and down. "You do look so like your Mum did at your age."</p><p>"Erm… Thanks. I usually hear I look like my dad." She mumbled.</p><p>"Ah, well those who didn't know Cissy at seventeen <em>would</em> say that. You may have Lucius' coloring, but everything else about you is Cissy."</p><p>"Mum." Tonks stepped forward, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder. "She doesn't know who you are. Look at her, you've terrified the girl!"</p><p>"I don't mean to frighten you, dear. I just… I haven't seen any of the family in years. I'm just so happy to hear that at least someone from that family got out. I always hoped it would be Narcissa, I had wished for her to leave more than once. But I am happy to have you here."</p><p>Elara took a sharp breath. She felt the strangest tug on her chest, her heart felt like it was swelling into her throat. "Thank you, that's very kind."</p><p>"You don't have to be so proper around us." She said. "Come, sit with Ted and I."</p><p>Andromeda took Elara's hand and led her to the table, taking a seat toward the center and pulling Elara into the spot next to her.</p><p>"We're all here then?" Mr. Weasley called out, looking up and down the table. "Let's tuck in! We'll address the meeting after!"</p><p>The table began talking to one another at once. Every person was sharing a story with someone near them, there was laughter and yelling and it was all very dizzying to Elara. She felt like she could barely keep up with the fifteen conversations happening around her.</p><p>"Aren't you going to eat?" Andromeda said, leaning over and lightly bumping Elara's shoulder with her own.</p><p>"I'm not very hungry." She mumbled., pushing the potatoes around her plate with her fork.</p><p>"Your mum never eats when she's uncomfortable, either. At least… She used to be like that." Andromeda's face became pinched, she looked at her own plate. "Sorry, dear. Forgive me. It's been so long… I forget you haven't the slightest idea who I am. Your mother was—is-</p><p>"Your sister." Elara said, nodding. "I pieced it together. You look just like Bellatrix… Except your smile. You smile like my mum."</p><p>"Have you seen her?" Andromeda asked. "Is she…"</p><p>"Alive?" Elara offered. Andromeda gave her a pointed look. "Yes. She is. I assume Draco will be taking care of her."</p><p>Andromeda nodded. "We had our difference, me and your mum. But I like to think that one day, we'll see each other again and the world won't be full of such hate."</p><p>Elara looked into her face with a soft smile. She hoped the same.</p><p>The meal went by quickly, everyone ate and helped clean up. As the dishes cleared and everyone began to settle the large, grey haired man with the strangest eye Elara had ever seen, began to talk.</p><p>"Now, Potter will be ready to be removed from the muggle's residence next Saturday." He began. "I've talked to Hestia Jones and Dedalus Diggle, they will be arriving at the house at eight in the evening to move the muggles. It's important that we arrive just after. Once they leave, it will be a short window before the protection charm breaks."</p><p>"Have you made arrangements, Alastor? Surely a few brooms won't be enough…" Lupin trailed off, patting his mouth with his napkin and placing an arm around the shoulders of the pink haired Tonks.</p><p>"I've been able to secure a couple Thestrals and-</p><p>"I got the flyin' motorbike!" Hagrid said. "Sirius gif'ed to me before he died, he did!"</p><p>"Will Harry fly by broom, then?" Mrs. Weasley asked. "I know he's a talented flyer, Moody, but he's a child! He can't go that far without-</p><p>"Now Molly…" Mr. Weasley began.</p><p>"No. Harry will ride with Hagrid on the bike." Moody said, his large, blue eyes swiveling around in its holster. "Have you talked to your lot, then Molly?"</p><p>"No." She said, her jaw setting in frustration. "No, I have not, because they are <em>children</em>."</p><p>"We want to help though!" Ron said. "If you're going to get Harry, we ought to be allowed to go!"</p><p>"What's the plan?" Hermione asked. "What have you come up with?"</p><p>"We've got fifteen safehouses lined up throughout England." Moody began. "We'll move him in pairs, each pair will go a different direction, to a different safe house."</p><p>"Do you think that's safe?" Hermione asked. "Won't it be better to move him through floo? Or apparation?"</p><p>"We believe the Ministry has been compromised." A large, man with a bald head and very dark skin spoke in a smooth, low voice. "Thicknesse is possibly-</p><p>"He is." Elara spoke up, looking up at the man speaking. "Pius Thicknesse? Dark hair, skinny, almost sickly-looking bloke, yeah?"</p><p>The man gave a sharp nod.</p><p>"I've seen him." She said, closing her eyes and trying to wrack her memories of the night she was tortured in the Manor. There had been a dozen faces there, few she actually knew. She remembered his face from her father's time at the Ministry. He had a daughter that she would play with when she was young. "I've seen him at the Manor before, sir. During one of the Death Eater meetings."</p><p>"If that's true, then your theory is correct." He said, turning his face to Moody. "They will have compromised the Floo Network."</p><p>"The good thing about it being true is the leak will get back to Voldemort then. But we can't rely on that. I expect we'll have a fight." Moody said, his gruff voice sounding edged.</p><p>"If we all fly in different directions, what's to stop them from just going after Harry?" Hermione asked.</p><p>"I believe you're familiar with Polyjuice, miss Granger." Moody said.</p><p>Elara, Ron and Hermione all went wide eyed at exactly the same time.</p><p>"He'll never go for it!" Hermione cried. "He'll never agree to give us the hair!"</p><p>"I'll hold him down and shave him myself if I have to!" Moody said.</p><p>"So, what? We all turn into Harry and fly around London?" Ron asked. "You know he's going to think this is mental!"</p><p>"Six of you will transform into Potter." Moody said. "The rest will fly along-side as protectors."</p><p>"And Harry will be with Hagrid, then Kingsley?" Mr. Weasley asked.</p><p>"Yes. Hagrid knows enough defensive and combative magic. Combined with Harry, and with all of us, we think it's the best option. He's too open on a broom." Kingsley said.</p><p>Hagrid beamed. "It only feels righ'. I brought 'im there, I take 'im away."</p><p>"Oui. Zat eez all good, but what if Lord Voldemort follows? If 'Arry eez with 'Agrid… Will zere be enough protection?" Fleur, the pretty blonde with her arms wrapped around Bill, spoke.</p><p>"Dung is going to fly with me." Moody said. "If they've got any smarts to their strategies, they'll assume I'll be the one taking him to the correct safehouse. Voldemort follows me and Hagrid gets Harry to Andy and Ted's."</p><p>"What if Voldemort doesn't follow you though?" Tonks asked, her face pinched in worry. "And he follows to mum and dad's house?"</p><p>"That's a risk we're willing to take." Ted said.</p><p>"No." Tonks said, her jaw setting with anger. "No. You can't just willingly-</p><p>"Let me come." Elara said, interrupting the argument and speaking loudly.</p><p>Everyone became quiet and she felt her nerve die down, she became scared again, worried that no one would want to listen to her. So far, no one had questioned her. They hadn't been rude, or disrespectful. But they were discussing plans to move Harry from safety… She could feel their suspicion as all eyes turned to her.</p><p>"We've already got enough people for the Polyjuice. I haven't got time to brew more." Moody said.</p><p>Elara took a deep breath, slowly breathing it out. "No, you haven't." She agreed. "But if there's something that Voldemort wants almost as much as he wants Harry… It's me."</p><p>"Ellie…" Hermione began, turning in her seat to look at her. "Ellie, Harry wouldn't be-</p><p>"Harry will have to get over it." She said, her tone firm. "Listen, I know you all don't trust me, and I don't blame you for that. I haven't really given you great reason to… But they're already looking for me. I know you've all seen it in The Prophet. It's not just my father that wants me home. Voldemort wants me, as well."</p><p>"Why?" Lupin said, his voice fierce.</p><p>"Because of what I can do." She murmured.</p><p>"Ellie, you don't have to." Ron said. "She saved your skin at Hogwarts. She saved mine and Ginny's! Hell, she helped McGonagall. There's no reason to-</p><p>"Ron, it's okay." Elara said, leaning forward in her seat so she could look down the table at him. "It's okay!" She turned her head again, addressing Lupin. "If I remember correctly, sir… You taught Defense Against the Dark Arts, right?"</p><p>She could feel Lupin's gaze tracing the lines of her face as he nodded. "Yes."</p><p>"You're familiar then, with magical beasts and beings? You know of supernatural abilities beyond basic Divination?"</p><p>He nodded again. "Yes, of course."</p><p>"Then tell me, Sir… Have you any knowledge or experience with a Natural Empath?"</p><p>Elara could feel the tension in the air, thick as mud. She saw Lupin's eyes narrow as both Tonks and Moody stared at her in disbelief.</p><p>"I do." He responded. "I know what it is."</p><p>"Good. That will make this much easier, then." She said, a polite smile on her face.</p><p>She locked in his gaze, holding his line of sight until very suddenly, a laugh burst forth from his chest. Within seconds he was bent over, holding his abdomen and laughing hysterically, tears trailing down his face. All of the others, save for Ron and Hermione, stared at him, bewildered.</p><p>"Okay, Okay!" He cried out, coughing loudly as he laughed uncontrollably.</p><p>She waited for him to look up and caught his gaze again, searching for a calmness in his mind to take him back to a mellowed state. Once the laughter subsided and he righted himself in his chair, he stared at her again before a small smirk pulled half his mouth upward.</p><p>"A Natural Empath!" Lupin said, laughing again and smacking the table with his hands. "You've got to be kidding me! Harry finally finds interest in a girl, and she's a Malfoy with Empath abilities…"</p><p>Elara bit her lip, a smile breaking through to her face.</p><p>"You're going to need to explain, mate." Said Bill, looking extremely confused and a little worried.</p><p>"Empaths can control emotion." Lupin said. "They can feel it and control it within others which-</p><p>"Which makes them <em>dangerous</em>." Moody barked, his blue eye trained on Elara. "Incredibly dangerous. How do we know you haven't been manipulating Potter? Been manipulating us?!"</p><p>"I'll answer any questions." She said. "You can even give me Veritaserum if you like. I have no reason to lie to you."</p><p>"If you're able to control emotions… You can manipulate people's free will." Kingsley spoke, slowly. "Are you registered with that ability?"</p><p><em>A ministry official</em>. Elara thought. "No, sir. I'm not. I received evaluation from St. Mungo's as a child, but I believe my father probably paid them off to keep it quiet."</p><p>"Corrupt bastards!" Moody grumbled.</p><p>She felt the mood of the table shift from suspicion and general unease to curiosity. Curiosity was good. Curiosity, she could work with. People who were curious tended to be more open minded, they usually wanted to know the answer more than they wanted to discount something completely.</p><p>"Why would he want you then?" One of the twins spoke up. "Voldy hasn't got emotions, has he?"</p><p>"Not much past fury and hatred, no." She said. "But like Mr. Moody said, if my abilities are used with ill intentions, they can become dangerous."</p><p>"A bloody walking <em>Imperious</em>!" Moody shouted. "She'd be able to make you do whatever she wants you to do without touching a hair on your head. I'll be back, I'm getting Veritaserum from my bag and then we can continue this conversation."</p><p>"Alastor, is that really necessary?" Andromeda asked. "She's just a child!"</p><p>"So is Harry." Elara said. "Harry's a bit younger than I am, actually, and look at the weight on his shoulders. I'll take the Veritaserum, happily, if it means he'll be safe."</p><p>She heard Tonks snort. "That's why he likes her." She mumbled under her breath.</p><p>"She was old enough to take the Mark." Lupin said, his face hardened.</p><p>"As I believe it has already been explained to you, I was Marked against my will."</p><p>"A healthy dose of Veritaserum will determine that." Moody said, his rough voice angry.</p><p>"I'll take it and answer whatever you think is necessary. I want to help. I love Harry, too. You lot aren't the only people who care for him."</p><p>Elara held Moody's gaze, not backing down. She would take the Veritaserum with pride if it kept Harry safe. She knew it was a possibility, Harry had warned her The Order would probably bring it up. Although she hadn't expected it within three hours of arriving. She certainly hadn't expected to be the one to suggest it. But it didn't matter. If they were going to safely move Harry, she knew she had to be present. She would do what she had to do to make sure he would be protected properly.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 5: Truth and Planning</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Bleed me white by The Sweeplings</em>
</p><hr/><p>Elara sat, silent and wide eyed, as all hell broke loose.</p><p>Mrs. Weasley and Andromeda Tonks were arguing with Lupin and Moody about Elara being too young to be submitted to questioning over Veritaserum. Meanwhile, Fred and George were going on about a new product they were working on, which happened to be an upgrade to the Decoy Detonators. As they were showing Ginny and Bill, it set off and created a loud, high pitched wailing sound that they couldn't get to quiet. Fleur was groaning loudly, going on and on in French and broken English about her disdain for the ridiculous pranks her soon to be brother in laws always pulled. Hagrid had broken the chair he sat in, and Ted and Tonks were now arguing against one another about whether or not Elara should be questioned under truth serum.</p><p>Elara sat back in her chair, folding her arms over her chest as she puffed out an annoyed breath.</p><p>"Welcome to the Burrow." Hermione said, a light chuckle to her tone.</p><p>Ron had leaned forward to say something before hearing "She's a marked death eater!" Come from Lupin's mouth. He nearly jumped from his seat, the force of his standing causing his chair to topple backward.</p><p>"She saved your skin!" Ron shouted, his finger pointing furiously at him. "She's helped me and Hermione more times than I can count with all sorts of things! Harry trusts her! <em>We</em> trust her! If she wants to take the bloody potion to make you feel better, then let her!"</p><p>Hermione was now trying to calm an extremely irate Ron down.</p><p>Elara pinched the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes as she tried to get the swirling of emotions under control. Everything from worry to suspicion to fury flew around her like fireworks, lighting up her head and filling it with fire. She was getting a rather severe migraine at this point, and these arguments were just going in circles.</p><p>She listened a few minutes more, listening to every person sat at the large table as they screamed over top of one another. All discussing her fate. <em>Harry's </em>fate. It was a waste of time! All of these adults squabbling like children!</p><p>"OI!" She yelled, smacking her palm, hard against the table to bring the attention to her.</p><p>Every set of eyes swiveled to her, mouths hanging open in shock or mid-sentence as she interrupted the group. The only sound now was the strangled wailing of the Decoy Detonator as Ginny tried to muffle it with her shirt.</p><p>"You're all acting like <em>children</em>!" She said, her tone exasperated. "I am an <em>Empath</em>, which, if you were paying attention, means I can control emotion. But I can also <em>feel</em> it. And right now, there are far too many crowding this table! I am <em>of age</em>, which means I can willingly submit myself to questioning under Veritaserum by an Auror <em>if I see fit</em>. Which I do. If it will give you all peace of mind that I'm not some evil Death Eater, I will answer any questions you have. But, please, for <em>Salazar's sake</em> can you all <em>shut up</em>?!"</p><p>Tonks snorted loudly. "I was wrong before." She muttered. "<em>That's</em> why Harry likes her."</p><p>Elara took a deep breath and rolled her head on her shoulders, rubbing the back of her neck. She looked down the table to every adult, who looked positively gobsmacked, and then closed her eyes again. She was exhausted. It had already been quite a long day and if she were going to be questioned, she wished they would hurry up and do it.</p><p>"Well?" She said, opening her eyes and catching gaze of Moody's strange blue eye. "Are you going to get the potion or not?"</p><p>Silence hung over the table for several long minutes as she looked at the Auror expectantly. She drummed her fingers on the table impatiently as he studied her, waiting for her to move or say something else. The tension in the air hung so heavy, she could have sliced through it with a knife. Every set of eyes flicked between her and Moody, waiting to see what would happen.</p><p>She jumped when the sound of laughter, loud and bursting, hit her ears. She pulled her eyes away from Moody to see the twins, Fred and George, laughing hysterically. Both of them slapping their knees and holding their stomachs.</p><p>"What <em>is</em> going on?!" Fred said, wiping a tear from his eyes as he tried to calm his laughter.</p><p>"It looks like a <em>seventeen year old girl </em>just took her tone with Mad-Eye!" George responded.</p><p>"The bullocks on this one!" Fred laughed.</p><p>Slowly, the tension dissipated and Moody rose from his chair again. "I'll be getting my bag. You lot, clear out. We don't need a full audience." He said, motioning to the majority of the table.</p><p>There were some complaints, mostly from Ron, but the crowd cleared out. Leaving behind only Lupin, Mr. Weasley, and Hermione.</p><p>"You don't have to do this, Ellie." Hermione whispered as they moved their spots closer to the older men. "You don't have to submit to questioning like this. If Harry were here-</p><p>"Well, he's not, Hermione." Elara said, sitting across from Lupin and giving Hermione a pointed look. "Harry isn't here to smooth things over for my mistakes. He isn't going to always be around. I have to be able to people who can trust that I want to help here, and if this is how I have to do it, than so be it."</p><p>Hermione sighed and then chuckled. "Are you sure you're not a Gryffindor? You certainly act like it sometimes."</p><p>She shrugged. "I could have been. I asked the hat to put me in Slytherin when it suggested it."</p><p>Lupin and Mr. Weasley stopped their conversation and stared at her. "You what?" Lupin asked.</p><p>"I asked the hat to place me in Slytherin." She said.</p><p>"Why?" Mr. Weasley asked.</p><p>"To make my life a little easier. Could you imagine a Malfoy in Gryffindor house? I would've lost my inheritance." She chuckled.</p><p>The wizards sitting in front of her did not find her joke as funny as she did. She sighed and closed her eyes, trying to prepare her mind for the loss of control she was about to undergo. She had never taken the potion, of course, but she had read multitudes on it. She knew what to expect, in theory, and she could feel her nerves grating against her heartbeat.</p><p>Moody returned, pulling a vial of clear liquid from his bag and handed it to Elara. "You're willing to take it, so I won't force it down your throat." He said.</p><p>She nodded. "Thank you." She pulled the cork off the top and emptied the vial into her mouth. It tasted slightly metallic and felt very cold as it hit the back of her throat. Once she swallowed it, she opened her mouth wide to prove she had taken it and crossed her legs at the knee, resting her clasped hands upon them.</p><p>"Hermione is here to confirm that you are telling the truth about basic questions." Lupin said. "Do you understand."</p><p>"Yes." She said.</p><p>"Good. State your full name, Age, and Hogwarts house."</p><p>It was the strangest feeling. She had no reason to lie about these things, but the force of the truth spilling out of her head and to her tongue was almost overwhelming. "Elara Druella Malfoy. I am seventeen years old and I am in Slytherin house."</p><p>"Hermione, I'd like you to ask a question you know the answer to." Lupin said.</p><p>"Okay…" She turned and faced Elara. "What beverage did my mother buy for you that we don't usually have in the house?"</p><p>Elara smiled as the words tumbled past her lips. "Cranberry juice. It's my favorite."</p><p>Hermione nodded. "That's true."</p><p>"Alright, we've established the potion is working." Moody said. "Get on with it."</p><p>"Did you willingly take the Dark Mark?"</p><p>She felt the answer push into her, grinding past her teeth. "Not exactly."</p><p>"Elaborate."</p><p>"I was tortured to unconsciousness by means of the <em>Cruciatus</em> curse in my home over the winter holiday. I-</p><p>"Who tortured you?" Mr. Weasley interjected.</p><p>She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling nauseous as she tried to fight the answer from coming. "Draco did."</p><p>She heard Hermione gasp.</p><p>"Continue." Lupin said.</p><p>"Once I was unconscious, Lord Voldemort branded me out of anger."</p><p>"Why was he angry with you?"</p><p>"I refused to use my abilities to torture another one of his followers." She said.</p><p>"Why did the Mark take? If you were unconscious."</p><p>"It didn't, at first."</p><p>"Elaborate on that, please." Mr. Weasley spoke again, his voice softer this time.</p><p>She answered every question asked of her by the three men sitting before her, all watching her intently, surveying her every twitch and breath as she spoke. She wasn't sure why they insisted on studying her so closely, it wasn't as if she could lie.</p><p>Hermione sat next to her, the presence was grounding and helped her to concentrate on something other than the questions they asked. They wanted to know everything she could possibly tell them. Wanted to know about her father, wanted to know about the Mark on her arm, wanted to know if she had any idea of Voldemort's plans.</p><p>They fired question after question at her, begging answers she'd be forced to give—whether or not she wanted to. They seemed taken back by her willingness to answer everything, showing no pause, no fight to the serum. She explained how she wanted to help Draco, if she could. How she wanted her mother to get out safely. She explained that her Father had shown remorse while in prison, but she wasn't sure if he still felt that way or not. She explained, in detail, how she fixed the vanishing cabinet. She explained how her abilities worked, how they affected her daily life, how she wasn't sure of her control on them.</p><p>It had been a full hour.</p><p>The sun was beginning to dip below the trees, painting the sky with a magenta and orange hue as the streaky clouds danced into the atmosphere, making room for the stars. Elara was exhausted. She could tell Hermione was as well. It had been an extremely long day and she was praying that the men would find an end to their questioning soon, that the effects would wear off so she could finally rest her mind.</p><p>"You said you care for Harry." Lupin said. "Why?"</p><p>"I love him." She said.</p><p>Mr. Weasley, Lupin, and Moody all looked back and forth to one another, as if coming to some sort of silent agreement. She could feel the mood shift from distrust to understanding and they finally ended their questioning.</p><p>"So, you'll let me help?" She asked, hopeful in tone and her eyes wide.</p><p>Moody grumbled, leaning forward in his seat.</p><p>"It may not be a bad idea, Madeye." Lupin said. "If she can draw Voldemort away from the lot, it increases our chances of making it out of Surrey alive."</p><p>"You can't just use her as bait!" Hermione cried, finally coming back into the conversation. "If she's going to come with us, you'll need to trust her abilities more than that. She's brilliant with martial magic now. She's been able to use her abilities to help during battle."</p><p>"Hermione, that's sweet. I'm hardly <em>brilliant</em> at it, though. But, I can… redirect their focus without letting them break from it for a while." Elara said. "I was able to do it before… With the Carrow sister."</p><p>Moody nodded. "You'll come with us then. No Polyjuice."</p><p>"No Polyjuice." She agreed. "I can handle it."</p><p>"And you'll ride alongside of me and Dung. I want to keep eye on you."</p><p>"Sure." She said. "I'm a fair flyer! And I have a Firebolt 3000 series."</p><p>"You have a racing broom? That will actually be very beneficial for this." Mr. Weasley said.</p><p>She nodded, happy they were finally seeing the benefit to her tagging along. She wanted desperately to be apart of this. And the thought of how soon she would see Harry again made her chest flutter in anticipation.</p><hr/><p>Elara sat in the garden a few yards from the burrow. In the days since arriving, she had found it increasingly difficult to quiet her mind. The house was full to the brim with people all hours of the day and night. Although Ron and Ginny were the only two of the Weasley children currently residing at the Burrow, their children still came almost daily to address issues within the Order and talk about the plan to move Harry.</p><p>It had been decided, after a long and angry rant from Mrs. Weasley and Andromeda, that Elara would fly by broom, undisguised with Moody and Mundungus. She would use her abilities when needs, to disarm or fight against any Death Eaters and she would make a show of it, in attempts to call Voldemort away from the rest of the group.</p><p>They would be flying to Moody's residence, where a portkey would be waiting for them to bring them back to The Burrow. If everything went as planned, they would be back to the Burrow by midnight and all be in one piece.</p><p>She was not so confident in that.</p><p>Having lived with Death Eaters for her entire life, after fighting against them the night Dumbledore was killed and having Voldemort himself invade her headspace more often than not these days… She knew there was a strong possibility that someone would be injured or killed.</p><p>She only hoped it wasn't Harry, Ron or Hermione. She wasn't confident she would be able to cope with the loss of one of the friends she had come to love so dearly.</p><p>She sighed, picking at the grass beneath her legs as she thought more about her family and the predicament she was in because of them. She wondered what it would have taken for them to be uninvolved with the Death Eaters and the realization hit her.</p><p>It would have never been an option as long as she was living. With the abilities she was born with, they would have hunted them down, she was positive of that. She thought back to the memory of her father's mother, a memory she had found herself thinking of frequently in the last few weeks.</p><p>The woman had killed herself with an <em>Avada</em> to keep from being used.</p><p>And here she sat, the glamoured dark mark twisting and churning in her skin, reminding her constantly of the decision she made. She grimaced as she looked at her arm. She pulled her wand from the waistband of her shorts and pointed the tip to her skin.</p><p>"<em>Diffindo</em>." She muttered, wincing as the slice appeared on her arm. She watched with intrigue as the crimson blood pooled around her arm, dripping into the grass and dissolving into the earth. Her eyebrow arched as she pulled her arm closer to her face. A strange shimmering to the viscous red liquid she had never noticed before.</p><p>"You're bleeding."</p><p>She jumped, startled by the sudden voice and she craned her head to look up. Standing over her was the bright, smiling face of one of the twins. She groaned inwardly.</p><p>She didn't <em>dislike</em> the twins. But she found their constant need to fill the air with jokes and humor a little… <em>exhausting</em>.</p><p>"I am." She said, turning her head back to its previous position to gaze over the field.</p><p>She heard him move and hoped he was going back into the house. Instead, he sat next to her, his shoulder almost touching hers.</p><p>"You have no idea which one I am, do you?" He chuckled.</p><p>"No, I don't." She answered honestly.</p><p>"Some twin you are." He said.</p><p>"I'm a fraternal twin." She reminded him. "It doesn't take much to tell us apart. Even if we looked identical, our personalities are completely opposite each other. You and George seem to be the same person, half the time."</p><p>"Ah, you <em>do </em>know which one I am."</p><p>She bit back the tug of her lips. "I suppose, maybe, I do."</p><p>"Harry is the only other one that can tell us apart." He confessed. "And he doesn't have mind reading abilities."</p><p>She chuckled. "I can't read minds, Fred."</p><p>He shrugged. "Maybe not. But emotions are close enough, innit?"</p><p>"Everyone certainly has their own signature when it comes to emotions." She agreed.</p><p>"You're still bleeding." He said, after a few moments of silence. He pressed the tip of his wand to the cut and muttered a healing and cleaning charm.</p><p>"Thank you." She said.</p><p>He nodded, pulling his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. They sat in silence for quite some time, which surprised her. She hadn't known a day yet where the twins were able to remain quiet instead of filling the air with laughter and jokes. She got the feeling that, he needed the reprieve as well.</p><p>"So you love Harry, then?" He finally whispered, keeping his eyes trained ahead.</p><p>"Is that so hard to believe?"</p><p>"It isn't hard to believe that Harry is loved." He said. "It's hard to believe that a Malfoy is the one giving it to him."</p><p>She sighed. "I've noticed that people have quite the opinion on my family. Not that it's unwarranted. But I like to think that Draco and I are a little different from my father."</p><p>"Draco isn't." Fred said. "But you are."</p><p>"Draco <em>is</em>." She insisted. "He's not a killer. He isn't some awful, evil person. He's trying to keep my mum safe."</p><p>"Got a funny way of doing that." He grumbled.</p><p>"It may not make sense to you." She said. "But it does to me."</p><p>He made a noncommittal sound and pat his palms against his knees. "You know, Ron isn't very trusting of people. Probably mine and Georgie's fault really… But he trusts you. And Harry and Hermione… And Ginny… They all do. I think everyone else is coming around. I thought you should know that while Georgie and I joke and poke fun, we do too."</p><p>Her heart felt warmed at the honest confession from him. She could feel his nervousness enveloping her, no doubt he wasn't used to baring himself to anyone in such a serious manner, but she could appreciate the effort.</p><p>"Thank you." She said.</p><p>He nodded. "Mum sent me out to find you. Wanted to let you know supper is ready. She said you haven't been eating much."</p><p>She shrugged. "Not really hungry. It's hard, being around so many people without a potion to help. It kind of ruins your appetite."</p><p>"George and I have been working on something that might help with that." He said, rising to his feet and offering a hand to pull her up. "We don't only sell gag gifts, you know."</p><p>She nodded. "I've heard."</p><p>"Well, we were working on a little concoction to be used to damper down magical signature, to help Aurors hide from that type of warding… With a few tweaks we could probably adjust it to help you. If you're interested."</p><p>"You know," She said, as they began walking toward the Burrow. "You're both quite brilliant when you're not slipping puking pastilles into people's tea."</p><p>His loud laugh boomed in the quiet of the evening. "We've been told, once or twice."</p><p>The smell of roast beef an potatoes hit her nose instantly upon entering the kitchen and she felt her stomach growl. Fred motioned for the spot between him and Hermione, and she sat, happily tucking into the food before her.</p><p>She was ashamed to admit that like many others in the wealthy pureblood circles of wizarding Britain, she had a very warped idea of what the Weasley's were. She had heard they were little better than rats, scrounging for food and expanding their family at an alarming rate. The kindness, as apprehensive as it has been since her arrival, that the family has shown to not only her, but every person who walked into the lopsided home, was almost overwhelming.</p><p>Mrs. Weasley was fussing over wedding plans with Bill and Fleur as they ate. The twins had begun cracking jokes at their poor mother's expense and everyone else seemed comfortable and happy. On the outside.</p><p>Inside, she could feel the fear and confusion every member of the Order was experiencing. Their wonderment of the upcoming plan to remove Harry from his muggle family home, the uneasiness surrounding the night.</p><p>When the evening had come to a close and everyone wandered toward their given rooms, Elara laid awake, staring up at the ceiling as she heard Ginny and Hermione's light snores fill the air. Her thoughts flitted back to Harry and she wondered what he was doing and how angry he would be when they all showed up at his home, ready to put their lives at risk to keep him safe.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 6: Bloodied Plans</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Penny Royal Tea by Nirvana</em>
</p><hr/><p>Draco flinched as the sound of the Dark Lord's fist hitting the table reverberated around the dining room, bringing his attention back to the meeting at hand. Professor Burbage, the Muggle Studies professor, lay dead on the table, her unseeing eyes staring at him.</p><p>His fingers itched with the urged to reach forward and close them for her.</p><p>"If he is moved on Saturday and we miss the opportunity because of your <em>negligence,</em> Yaxley, I will make sure it is a very painful and slow torture for you." The Dark Lord hissed.</p><p>"My Lord, I assure you, the information of the boy being removed from the muggle's residence on July 30th, was a leak of false information." Snape spoke, his low voice steady as his eyes finally flickered up from his long-time co-worker's limp body. "The Order has plans to move Potter Saturday. I am certain of it."</p><p>"And what of the girl?" The Dark Lord asked, his head swiveling to stare at Snape.</p><p>Draco saw his father's eyes roam from the table, staring at Snape in fury. Pleading him to not reveal any information of his daughter.</p><p>"I know not of the girl." He said. "There have been no sightings of her with any Order members being watched. There has been no record of her in any hospital, St. Mungo's or muggle alike. It is my belief she has fled the country."</p><p>Draco felt relief flood through his chest and he prayed to every deity he could think of a silent prayer of pleading. <em>Please let that be true. Please let Ellie be out of the country. Please.</em></p><p>"We have informants in Italy." Yaxley spoke again. "Watching the Zabini properties for movement of the girl. As well as the Malfoy property in France and Switzerland."</p><p><em>She hates the house in Switzerland. She would have never went there.</em> Draco thought, smugly. They were wasting their time, their resources by watching that old house in the mountains. Their family hadn't been there in years. The only reason they still owned it was to collect the money in their offshore accounts.</p><p>"She refuses the call of the Mark." Voldemort said, his voice a low hiss of anger. "She will become weak if she continues, and then she will come to us."</p><p>Draco focused his eyes on the wall behind his Aunt Bellatrix, desperately hoping Elara would hold out, would find some way to keep resisting the forceful Dark Magic in her arm. He tuned out the buzz of conversation as Voldemort continued speaking. Drabbling on about an issue with his wand, cursing Dolohov for not getting more information out of Ollivander, who was currently chained up in the cellars.</p><p>He pulled his mind out of his own line of thoughts when the Dark Lord rested a hand on the back of his father's chair. "Your wand should do, Lucius." He said.</p><p>Draco's eyes widened as he looked at his father.</p><p>His hand was gripped around a glass of Firewhiskey, his fingers gently tapped the sides of it as his voice trembled. "M-my wand?"</p><p>"You have no use of it, any longer." Voldemort goaded, a sinister smile spreading across his face.</p><p>Slowly, Lucius withdrew his wand from his walking stick, the head of the serpent a heavy handle on the Elmwood glinting in the low lighting. Voldemort grasped it, his long fingers wrapping around the serpent's head and snapping it off the wood.</p><p>"What are the dimensions?" He asked.</p><p>"Elm, My Lord. D-dragon heartstring."</p><p>"D-d-d-dragon heartstring, you say?" Voldemort laughed, teasing Lucius for his nervousness. A low crow of raucous laughter filled the air as Draco shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "It'll do. <em>Crucio</em>!"</p><p>Hot knives tore through Draco's spine as his entire body folded in half, his face hitting the table hard as he fell from his chair and onto the floor. He felt the blood from his nose seep into his mouth as his back arched and his muscles spasmed, pushing his limbs into awkward positions and contorting his fingers into a tight sprawl. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he bit into his lip, feeling his teeth tear into the flesh and finally an agonized scream pulled from his chest, shaking the air around him.</p><p>The torturous curse stopped and Draco's vision flooded back to him, staring at the side of his father's dragon hide boots.</p><p>"Get up." Voldemort spat, giving him a hard kick to his ribs.</p><p>Draco coughed, slowly peeling himself from the floor as his limbs continued to spasm and ache. He sat back in his chair, clasping his hands in his lap and breathing through his mouth as his broke nose continued to gush with blood.</p><p>"You will find a way to bring your sister to the Manor, Draco." Voldemort hissed. "Or I will find a way to bring her here, myself."</p><p>"Yes, My Lord." Draco answered, willing the tears that were beginning to cloud his vision to stay behind the rims of his eyes.</p><p>He heard a loud cackle of laughter spill from his aunt's mouth as the rest of the followers seated around the table joined in, save for Snape and his father.</p><hr/><p>Draco groaned in pain as he rolled onto his side, clutching his abdomen. He was fairly certain the kick Voldemort gave him after torturing him dislodged one of his ribs and he was in searing pain. His muscles continued to tremble as his body tried to recover from yet <em>another</em> round of the <em>Cruciatus</em> curse. If his count was correct, that made for number nine this week, and it was only Thursday.</p><p>He heard the door creak open and he froze in place, willing his body to stop shaking and praying whoever came in would either leave him unharmed or finish him off.</p><p>"Draco?"</p><p>He relaxed at his mother's voice. "Come in." He called, remaining on his side, back to her.</p><p>"I've brought you a pain potion, my dragon." She said, rounding the bed and conjuring a chair. She sat before him, setting the potion on the nightstand and lightly running her slender fingers through his white-blonde locks. "<em>Cruciatus</em> again." It wasn't a question.</p><p>He gasped a sharp breath as he tried to sit up. "He took father's wand." He grumbled, motioning his hand to the potion.</p><p>She nodded. "I know. He told me."</p><p>Draco took the potion in one gulp, grimacing at the foul taste and setting the small bottle back on the stand. "He killed professor Burbage, too." He said.</p><p>She nodded, suggesting she already knew that as well. "Draco…" She began, her voice soft and nervous. "Are you sure you don't know where she is? Anything? Any information that could bring her home to us?"</p><p>"Mum, I've told you…" He sighed, pulling himself up further into his bed and leaning his back against the headboard. "I don't know where she went. If she isn't with Blaise than my only other guess would be with Potter and his lot, but if they're all being watched and no one has reported anything…"</p><p>"She could be Polyjuiced." She said, a hopeful tone to her voice. "Or in hiding with one of them."</p><p>"I hope so." He admitted. "I hope she's with them. Potter is an absolute <em>wanker</em>, but I'm certain he'd look out for her."</p><p>"You've said this before." She said, crossing her legs at the knees and slowly reaching up to pat her hair. "Why are you so certain?"</p><p>He carded his fingers through his hair. What was the point in keeping the secret? He was sure the Dark Lord was regularly using <em>Legilimens</em> on him as it was, if he didn't already know, he'd find out soon enough. "Ellie and Potter have a… Well, I don't really know what it's called now. A relationship I suppose."</p><p>Her eyebrows shot into her hair. "A relationship?"</p><p>Draco nodded. "They dated, most of the term actually."</p><p>"And you knew? And didn't try to stop it?"</p><p>"Of course, I tried to tell her it was mental." He scoffed. "Have you met your daughter? I'm pretty sure telling her she shouldn't do it only made her want to do it more."</p><p>She chuckled quietly. "How did it begin?"</p><p>Draco sighed. "She was trying to get close to him, keep him off my back while we fixed the cabinet. The prat was always following us around everywhere, watching every move we made. He was suspicious, Ellie said. So, she thought if she could be friends with him, maybe he'd leave us alone."</p><p>"Except she didn't just become friends with him." She said, knowingly.</p><p>"She developed feelings for him, <em>real</em> feelings. She said he didn't make her be anyone other than who she wanted to be. That's when she stopped helping me with the cabinet."</p><p>"She stopped helping you?"</p><p>"Yeah." He nodded. "Just before we came home for Christmas. When she woke, it was Potter who brought her out of it, the mind lock."</p><p>"Severus was very vague about it."</p><p>"I imagine he was." Draco agreed. "She told Potter everything. Told him that we were marked, told him about the cabinet, about the plan… She told him everything."</p><p>"That's why the Order was there?" She asked. "When Dumbledore-</p><p>"Yeah." He interrupted, not wanting to think about that night anymore than he already did. "Yeah, I think so."</p><p>They sat in silence for some time. Draco was twisting the hem of his blankets in his fingers, trying to get the knot in his stomach to loosen. It had only been six weeks. Six of the longest weeks of his life, and he was terrified. Not only had he been subjected to more rounds of <em>Cruciatus</em> than he could keep count of, but he was filled with dread. Deep rooted and twisting through his chest all hours of the day and night.</p><p>He had no idea how Elara was fairing, and it was eating him alive faster than Voldemort could chew him up and spit him out. And now, this new threat to him—to her. If he couldn't locate her and bring her back to the Manor, he feared he may not make it to September to discover the off chance she decided to return to Hogwarts.</p><p>He looked up to his mother's face as her small, pale hand wrapped around his. "We will find her. She will be safe." She said, her tone soft and sure.</p><p>He nodded. "I don't want her here, Mother." His face hardened. "I'll take whatever punishment they see fit, but even if I find her, I will not bring her back here."</p><p>"There is no bond stronger than a sibling." She said, a sadness flashed across her eyes. "I only wish I would have known that at your age."</p><p>He knew she was referencing his long-banished aunt, and he wondered what had become of her. As they sat in a comfortable silence, both lost in thought while his mother gently fussed with his hair, the loud <em>pop</em> of apparation sounded around his room and he jumped, groaning as the broken rib in his side shifted.</p><p>"Mistress Malfoy, Young Master… Dark Lord has sent Nimsy to retrieve Young Master. Dark Lord waits in the Drawing Room for Young Master."</p><p>Nimsy's poor, small face was bloodied and Draco felt instant rage at the sight. This stupid, tiny creature he normally gave no thought of had spent so much time caring for his mother and looking after his own wounds. She was favored by Elara and protected as such. To see her face blackened by the Dark Lord's hand, made his stomach twist.</p><p>"Thank you Nimsy." He whispered. "Could you make sure mother gets back to her room, safely?"</p><p>"Nimsy will make sure Mistress is safe." She agreed.</p><p>Draco carefully pulled himself from his bed, slipping a pair of shoes on and pulling the black Death Eater robes over his own clothing. He watched briefly, as his Mother and Nimsy retreated down the hall before taking long strides to the staircase and steeling his emotions behind the stoic mask he had gotten so good at keeping in place. He silently thanked Snape; the man had made a point to make sure he was practicing Occlumency.</p><p>Draco stepped into the Drawing Room, seeing his father standing against the wall, his body sagging as if he had just been tortured. Draco assumed he probably had. Snape and Bellatrix were in the room as well. Bellatrix pacing like a hungry wolf and Snape sitting in an armchair, his hands clasped over his knees.</p><p>The Dark Lord looked up at Draco as he entered and a slow, terrifying smile spread across his greying face. "Draco…" He said, his cold voice rasping between his cracked, thin lips.</p><p>"My Lord." Draco nodded. "You have called for me."</p><p>"I have." He agreed, motioning to the armchair next to Snape. "Be seated."</p><p>He looked around the room, his chest beginning to feel heavy. He wondered what they had been talking about and he was terrified about what his presence in the conversation meant. He crossed the room and sat next to Snape, quickly glancing at him before settling into the chair. Trying to keep his posture upright was agony, his side burning in protest.</p><p>"Severus is under the impression that your <em>sister</em> may have Order protection." It wasn't a question.</p><p>"It is a possibility, yes." Draco agreed.</p><p>"You will accompany my followers on Saturday to apprehend Potter. If she is present, you will call for me so that I may come collect her."</p><p>"Yes, My Lord." Draco said, his voice stronger than he actually felt.</p><p>"If she is not present, you will capture someone who knows where she may be." Voldemort's voice was almost conversational, as if he were talking about London's weather patterns. It was unnerving.</p><p>The notion of Draco being forced to capture one of The Order members, regardless of what he thought of them, made his stomach churn again. He was by no means incapable when it came to dueling, but he was not confident he would return from this mission unscathed.</p><p>"Yes, My Lord." He answered.</p><p>Voldemort stopped his pacing and stared down at Draco, his crimson eyes squinted, surveying him. Draco looked everywhere but his face, knowing the second his gaze was locked, his mind would be torn through. After what felt like an eternity, Voldemort heaved a low breath and continued pacing. "You may go." He said, dismissing him.</p><p>As he took the leave, he heard Bellatrix cackling again. He had come to despise the sound.</p><hr/><p>"In the grass again? May as well just start sleeping out here." Fred called.</p><p>The summer breeze rustled Elara's hair around her shoulders and she sighed, quickly muttering a healing and cleaning charm against her bleeding arm and pulling her knees up to her chest. It was a clear night, the stars were twinkling and the moon provided a soft luminescence to the garden.</p><p>"Are you following me?" She asked.</p><p>He sat next to her, folding his legs in front of him and resting his elbows on his thighs. "No." He said, digging into his pocket. "I played around with the formula a bit since we last talked. It should help a little. I'm not exactly sure how to make something to keep you from hearing voices, but it should at least make it so it's not overwhelming."</p><p>"I don't hear voices." She chuckled. "It's more of a feeling. I can feel what everyone else is feeling."</p><p>Fred held out a small vial containing a silver potion. "Can you feel what I'm feeling?" He asked.</p><p>She nodded. "Yes." She accepted the potion from him and stared down at it. "You're feeling content, calm, almost? But you're worried…" She craned her neck to look at him. "What are you worried about?"</p><p>"Blimey." He chuckled. "You really can."</p><p>She nodded, pulling the cork off the vial. "This isn't going to make me grow another limb or make my teeth fall out or something, will it?"</p><p>"Oh Merlin! I certainly hope not. That would be a rubbish gift to give to someone." He laughed.</p><p>She snorted a laugh and shook her head, taking back the contents of the vial and swallowing the potion in one gulp. She handed him back the vial after grimacing. "It tastes terrible."</p><p>"I guess I didn't think to flavor it, your highness. I'll work on that for the next batch."</p><p>She leaned into him, bumping her shoulder against his. "I appreciate it. It's hard to feel what everyone else feels all the time. Everyone is sick with worry and fear."</p><p>"Well, hopefully that will subside after tomorrow night. Once Harry is here, I'm sure everyone will calm down. Can I ask you something?"</p><p>She turned to look at him again.</p><p>Fred had joined her every night in the garden. He usually waited until most everyone was asleep or busy doing something else, and then he'd come and sit with her. They talked about nonsense, never diving too deeply into a subject. He told her about a lot of the new products he and George were working on, told her silly stories about growing up at the Burrow, asked her what it was like to grow up at The Manor. He was kind and she appreciated his humor.</p><p>"Of course, you may." She said, turning her face back toward the garden and staring out over the field.</p><p>"Why do you slice at your arm every night like that?" He spoke quietly.</p><p>She sighed. "It sounds barmy to say it out loud." She admitted.</p><p>"Barmier than taking a potion to make you stop feeling everyone else's emotions? Because that already sounds pretty barmy, yet here we are."</p><p>She laughed and gently nodded her head. "You've got a point."</p><p>"So, why?" He asked. "I won't tell anyone. I just want to make sure you're… You know… okay. If anything happened to you while you were here, I don't think Harry would forgive us and-</p><p>She held up her hand, cutting off his sentence. "I'm okay." She said. "It isn't some crazy death wish or anything… I just…" She sighed. "I read awhile back that centuries ago, wizards would use blood-letting as a form of draining Dark Magic from one's body. I thought I'd give it a go."</p><p>"Bloodletting? Didn't muggles use leeches for that?" He asked. His face twisted up in disgust at the thought of it.</p><p>She nodded. "They did. Although, it wasn't proven fruitful for muggles. However, with Dark Magic, there seems to be some truth to it. I've noticed the blood is… shimmery… And slightly darker than normal. It could just be my imagination but there are actual documented cases of it being successful. I thought I'd give it a go and see if it works. The glamour charm is nice, but it isn't permanent. The mark is still there…"</p><p>"You're trying to bleed the mark out?" He asked, his tone incredulous.</p><p>"I told you it sounded barmy." She said, flatly.</p><p>He chuckled. "Don't let mum catch you out here doing that. She'll have you shipped to St. Mungo's. She's already worried about you."</p><p>"Is she?" She asked, looking back to him.</p><p>"Yeah." He said. "She doesn't want you to go tomorrow night. Not that I can blame her. Offering yourself up as bait like that…"</p><p>"I can help protect Harry and no one wants to let me help. If I have to be bait to do it, then I will." She said, stubbornly.</p><p>He put both hands up, chuckling in defeat. "I know, I know! I'm not against you going, although I don't think George is too fond of the idea either. Said he thinks Harry is going to refuse to come with us on principle with you being there."</p><p>"He's going to be angry at the idea of any of us being there." She agreed. "He thinks he can do everything on his own."</p><p>"Mental pair, you two make." He laughed. "Almost as if you're trying to outdo each other's insane moves. I heard you were in the tower that night, you followed him out after…"</p><p>She nodded. "I did."</p><p>"Also heard you tortured a Carrow and injured your dad."</p><p>She nodded again, chewing the inside of her cheek. "I did that as well, yes."</p><p>Fred slung an arm over her shoulders, giving her a light squeeze. "Wicked. You know, when all this is over, I'll have a spot for you at the shop, if you need a place to work or a place to stay. We have tons of extra space. Can't imagine you'll want to go back to living with dear old mum and dad."</p><p>"That's kind of you, Fred." She smiled. "And no, I don't think I will want to live back at the Manor, if it's even still standing afterward."</p><p>"You know, I think I quite like you, Ellie. Even if you're a bit nutters… Out here bleeding yourself into our garden."</p><p>She chuckled again. She did enjoy Fred's company. "I quite like you, as well. The potion seems to be working, by the way. I'm stuck with my own feelings now."</p><p>"And what are those?" He asked.</p><p>She sighed. "Same as everyone else's, I reckon. Mostly worried. I just can't help but feel that tomorrow is going to go horribly wrong. I think they'll show up. My Mark… It's been twisting and burning all day every day. Voldemort's angry."</p><p>"They laid that false trail at the ministry!" Fred reminded her. "So, there's a chance we'll all come out on top!"</p><p>"Yes, but the Ministry has been infiltrated. It's only a matter of time before they take it over completely. And then what? What happens when the power shifts like that?"</p><p>He dropped his arm from around her shoulders and stood up, stooping over to grab her elbows and hoisting her to her feet. "I guess we'll have to wait and find out. Should be hell of a fight though."</p><p>They walked back into the Burrow and moved into the sitting room where Ron and Hermione were quietly talking about the plan to collect Harry. Elara was beyond nervous. Everyone seemed to think the plan was fool proof, that Harry's unwillingness to go with them would be the biggest hurdle to overcome, and she wasn't so confident.</p><p>As they began chatting deeper about it, Ron came up with the idea to place Elara under a <em>Disillusionment</em> until the Polyjuice has been ingested. Hermione thought it was wrong, as if they were tricking Harry into doing something he wouldn't normally do. Elara agreed. She didn't feel right about being there and Harry not knowing she was present until after the fact. Ron and Fred both vehemently disagreed, insisting that the charm would help Harry keep focus.</p><p>If her presence was unknown, he would agree to go.</p><p>"Once he agrees, by all means, show yourself!" Ron said. "Snog him against the door if you like, but we need him to agree! He sees you're there and he's going to put up a fight even worse than he's already going to do! We've been risking our arses for years with him, he'll be quick to say no, but he'll understand he hasn't really got a choice."</p><p>"It feels a lot like lying, Ron." Elara said. "I just don't want to give him a reason not to trust me. I've already given him so many!"</p><p>"But he trusts you!" Ron said. "I know he does! And you know it, too. It's the only way we can be sure he'll go!"</p><p>She sighed in frustration. "And the moment I'm visible, what if he changes his mind?"</p><p>"It won't matter then." Fred said. "We'll all look like him already, so unless he wants to wait around for hours for the potion to wear off…"</p><p>"Which he won't be able to do! Mad Eye already said the protection spells would break once the Dursley's leave!" Hermione said. "You're taking away the option of choice from him already. This is just one more thing he won't be able to choose!"</p><p>"Mione, what do you think we should do, then? Because you know as well as I do, Harry isn't going to come quietly. No matter who's there." Ron said.</p><p>Hermione sighed in defeat. "I know." She said. "I know. But I agree with Ellie. It feels <em>wrong</em> to hide her being there from him."</p><p>"The moment you become visible again, just snog him for a bit. He'll change his mind." Ron chuckled.</p><p>Elara rolled her eyes. "Ron, we aren't even <em>together</em> anymore. Harry might not-</p><p>"Might not what?" Ron laughed. "Might not want to snog you? I've slept next to the tosser the last year, remember? All he talks about is snogging you. Even when he hated you, he talked about snogging you! I promise, it will work!"</p><p>"Never underestimate the want to snog on a teenage boy." Fred laughed. "A good snog can change any man's mind. Especially if the person doing the snogging is pretty."</p><p>Elara pursed her lips and rolled her eyes, trying to combat the pink tint rising in her cheeks. "You both are mental, and I'm tired. I'm going to bed." She stood, giving both Ron and Fred a pointed look. "I suggest you do the same."</p><p>"Yes ma'am." Fred and Ron said in unison.</p><p>Hermione chuckled and followed behind Elara, making their way up the several flights of stairs and into the room they shared with Ginny. Tomorrow was coming so quickly, and the plan felt so <em>fragile</em>. She sank beneath the blankets on her cot and stared up at ceiling. She tried hard to focus on the details of the plan, but she knew her mind was too tired to think of anything besides how good it would feel to have Harry's lips pressed against her own again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 7: A Few Hairs</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>White Flag by Bishop Briggs</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Glory and Gore by Lorde</em>
</p><hr/><p>Elara's heart raced as she tore through the overgrown grass in the back garden of the Burrow. She could feel <em>everything</em>. Everyone was panicked and worried. Fear creeping into her mind as quickly as oxygen flowed to her lungs. With every shaking breath she took, more uncertainty settled in her chest, gripping at her insides and refusing to let go. The sun was beginning to set, dipping low behind the trees and casting the shadow of night.</p><p>This had to work.</p><p>The Order was so certain it would. Moody was so <em>sure</em> that it would be enough, that between the protection of the Order, the Polyjuice potion, and Elara being present, it would be enough.</p><p>She couldn't shake the feeling it wouldn't be. Something terrible was going to happen. Someone would get hurt, Harry would be captured, <em>she</em> would be captured, Ron and Hermione… What if something happened to them?! Or-or to Fred? Or George?!</p><p>No. No. They couldn't go through with this plan. It didn't make sense. Why one <em>earth</em> would they ride Thestrals?! And Hagrid taking a flying motorbike through London?! That was surely going to bring attention to them!</p><p>She looked over her shoulder when she felt the bleeding cut on her arm heal and saw Fred walking toward her. "All right, El?"</p><p>She looked back to the ground and continued pacing, shaking her head. "No. No I'm not <em>all right</em>. Nothing is <em>all right</em>! This plan is… It's ridiculous! We're going to get killed. <em>Harry</em> is going to get killed! You can't honestly tell me that you think there isn't-</p><p>Fred interrupted her, handing her an already unstopped vial of silver liquid. "Take the potion. You're only terrified because you can feel everyone else's mood right now."</p><p>"And shouldn't that tell you something?!" She snapped, tearing the vial form his hand. "Shouldn't that tell you that maybe, if everyone else concurs that this plan is totally…" She grimaced as she swallowed down the potion. "…Mental, it's probably not a great plan!"</p><p>"Everyone is just nervous. You can't honestly tell me that we shouldn't be nervous going in to something like this? It's not that it's a bad plan, Ellie, it's that there's risk involved." Fred said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.</p><p>"Too much risk!" She said. "Too much! Someone could be seriously hurt, Fred! Or-or killed! You know as well as I do if anything happens to any of us, Harry will blame himself! He'll blame-</p><p>"We can worry about that when we get back." He said, pulling her into his side. "Listen, I know I joke around a lot-</p><p>"It's all you do." She interrupted, craning her neck to look up at him with pursed lips.</p><p>He laughed. "That may be true, but we've looked at the risks. We know what we're getting ourselves into. You're just as mental as we are! You could've gotten away with staying here!"</p><p>"I'm not going to just <em>sit</em> here and worry when I can be of help!" She said, frustrated.</p><p>"Exactly. So, how do you expect anyone else to do the same? Harry <em>can't</em> stay with the muggles, and you know that. We have to get him out safely and this is our best chance."</p><p>She puffed a heavy breath through her nose and tore her fingers through her hair. "All right." She finally agreed. "All right. Yes. Yes, we have to get Harry out of that house, safely. I just… I have a bad feeling, Fred."</p><p>"I imagine you do, all those feelings in your head all the time. But I'm quite fond of you now, dear Ellie. You're like a proper little sister now, like Hermione or Ginny. And I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you!"</p><p>He gave her another squeeze around her shoulders and she sighed. "I'm not worried about <em>me</em>. I'm worried about you lot. They aren't going to kill me. Voldemort wants me too badly."</p><p>"Exactly." Fred said. "They aren't going to kill you. So, they won't do anything overly reckless that might end up with you being killed on accident."</p><p>"Are older brothers always annoyingly protective and reckless or is that just the Weasley brand?" She chuckled, feeling touched at the words Fred was saying.</p><p>"Ah, that's a specific brand of red-headed Gryffindor endearment, love." He chuckled. "Can't say all brothers are that way, but we certainly are. Look at how Ron has been since you got here. He nearly lost his plot the first night you were here when Mad Eye and Lupin tried to say you were no good!"</p><p>"I suppose so." She said, feeling warm.</p><p>She had fully expected it to be a challenge to be at The Burrow, surrounded by Weasley's and Order members. She knew some of them would be apprehensive to take her in, to accept that she wanted to help. But even Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had come around to being more accepting of her. Mrs. Weasley had spent the last few days fussing over her and Mr. Weasley had made the effort more than once to talk to her. It was small showings of acceptance, but she would take what she could get until she could prove she was here to help.</p><p>"By the way," Fred whispered, as if reading her mind. "Dad is <em>fascinated</em> with all things muggle. He works in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office at the ministry… You two would probably get along extremely well if you remember that the next time you talk."</p><p>She smiled. "I lived with Hermione for six weeks! I finally got to watch a telly, and it's brilliant!"</p><p>Fred nodded. "I bet it was. Muggles certainly seem to love them." He sighed, their footsteps falling in sync as they moved closer to The Burrow. "They're all coming around to the idea of you being here. They're just stuck on the name. Once they see you tonight, see that you're trying to help, they'll let go of it."</p><p>"I certainly hope so."</p><p>As the rest of the participating Order members arrived and the plan was detailed once more, Elara's mind felt easier than it had all day. She was beyond grateful that Fred and George worked a potion that helped her. She kept going over the details in her mind. Mad Eye had agreed that a <em>Disillusionment </em>was a good idea for her and they would cast it before she left. Lupin, Kingsley, Mad Eye and Mr. Weasley had already returned from warding the surrounding neighborhood, hopeful that the extra protection might by them more time. They would set out by means of brooms, thestrals, and Hagrid's flying motorbike and land in Harry's back garden.</p><p>From there, Mad Eye would explain the plan to move him. In pairs, one Auror, one <em>Polyjuiced</em> Harry. The pairs were decided as Fred and Mr. Weasley, George and Lupin, Bill and Fleur, Kingsley and Hermione, Ron and Tonks, and lastly, Mad Eye and Mundungus Fletcher—flanked by Elara, who would be visible upon departure. Harry, the real Harry, would be riding with Harry. Each pair would touch ground at a separate safe house where unregistered portkeys were waiting. They had an hour from the time they arrived at Harry's residence to the time the portkeys would activate to send them back here, to The Burrow.</p><p>An hour.</p><p>An hour to convince Harry to go along with this mental plan, an hour to get to safety, to fight off whatever comes their way and hopefully make it out alive. An hour to stare death in the face and pray it turned its eyes to them.</p><p>Elara's confidence was almost nonexistent as Hermione cast a <em>Disillusionment</em> over her and her broom. She shivered as the feeling of cold ran down her back and felt wet, as if an egg had been cracked upon the top of her head. She grasped Hermione's hand so she knew where she was, and followed her out to the lawn.</p><p>"Shouldn't take us long to get there." Lupin said. "Stay close. I'll hang back a bit behind the group, Mad Eye at the front. Where's Elara?" He looked around.</p><p>Hermione held up her hand, which was clasped around nothingness.</p><p>"I'm here." Elara said.</p><p>"Good. You'll fly between the Thestrals, just in case the charm falters, it'll offer more coverage and Hermione can cast it again mid-air."</p><p>Hermione nodded as Elara spoke. "And we'll cancel the charm <em>after</em> Harry's hair has been added to the potion."</p><p>"Precisely." Mad Eye said. "Now let's go. We haven't got all night."</p><p>Hermione and Kingsley and Bill and Fleur mounted their Thestrals as the rest of the group kicked off on their brooms. The loud roaring of the motorcycle Hagrid was on thundered around them and she waited for Mad Eye's word before leaning forward and launching herself through the sky.</p><p>For a moment, she reveled in the feel of the wind in her hair and the freedom of flying. She took advantage of the fact that she was unseen to zig-zag around the group, to fly to the left and right of them and keep an extra eye out for any predatory movement below or around them.</p><p>As they flew over the houses and villages, skirting around small towns and cities, she was thankful for the coverage of the night. It was darker than it had been and that would benefit them, but the closer they flew to Surrey and as they lowered toward Harry's home, the pit in her stomach encompassed her ability to stay clear-headed during flight. By the time they dismounted, she was shaking again, her nerves nearly swallowing her whole.</p><p>"Ellie?" Hermione whispered. "Ellie, where are you?"</p><p>She grabbed Hermione's hand. "I'm here."</p><p>"Okay. You're going to hang on to Fred. Harry will think it suspicious if I'm grasping on to your hand and he can't see what it's attached to."</p><p>Elara nodded, and instantly felt stupid for the unseen motion. "Sounds good." She agreed.</p><p>Hermione pulled her into a tight hug. "Be careful." She whispered. "If everything goes right, we'll see you in an hour. Don't forget, the portkey is the silver teapot."</p><p>"I know. You too, yeah?"</p><p>"Use your abilities if you have to, Ellie." She said. "Please. Make sure Harry gets there safely."</p><p>Hermione dropped the embrace and began walking toward the back door to get into the house. Elara found the twins and tapped Fred's shoulder. "Looks like I'm stuck with you until I can cancel this charm." She whispered.</p><p>"That's fine by us." Fred said. "Isn't that right, George?"</p><p>"Oh, the havoc we could make with an invisible Ellie between us!" George chuckled.</p><p>She rolled her eyes and smiled. "You two are ridiculous."</p><p>"Just remember what me and Ron said." Fred laughed. "Snog him senseless. He'll agree to anything that way."</p><p>"I can't exactly do that like this."</p><p>"Maybe not, but it'd sure be funny to see his face if you tried!" George said.</p><p>She kept a light grip on Fred's shirt, just to keep him aware of where she was standing. As they walked into the kitchen and followed the group into what must have been the living room, she saw Hermione nearly in tears as she flung her arms around Harry.</p><p>"Ready to take off?" Hagrid beamed, his eyes twinkling as he looked at Harry.</p><p>"Yeah, definitely." Harry said, looking around the crowded room. "I just wasn't expecting so many of you."</p><p>"Change of plans." Mad Eye said, his voice gruff.</p><p>There were a few moments of chatter as Harry spoke to his friends. Tonks was overjoyed to show him a ring on her finger, indicating her marriage to Lupin. Harry spoke with Kingsley about the Muggle Prime Minister and chatted a moment with Bill and Fleur. She felt the longing in her chest pull into the pit of her stomach as she stayed silent. Watching as his eyes flitted around the room. She cursed herself for taking that potion Fred gave her. She would give anything to know how Harry was feeling right now, but to lock on his gaze and card through his mind… It would give her away.</p><p>As Mad Eye began to explain the plan to move Harry, everyone groaned as Harry predictably disagreed with the idea. He tried to reason with them all, explaining what they were doing sounded mental and that it didn't make sense. That there was a difference between fighting alongside him and actually pretending to be him.</p><p>Elara agreed, silently. She knew that he would be upset, she knew he would be angry at them.</p><p>"You need my hair, right?" He said. "For the <em>Polyjuice</em>. It won't work unless I give you my hair."</p><p>"Well, there goes our plan!" George said. "You've really gone and mangled it, you have! How could fourteen adults that are legally allowed to perform magic outside of Hogwarts <em>possibly</em> get DNA from one sixteen-year-old?!"</p><p>There was a chorus of laughter, but Harry didn't find it funny. "No." He said. "Absolutely not! I won't let you!"</p><p>As he began arguing between Ron, Hermione and Mad Eye, Elara tugged on Fred shirt, trying to get him at ear level. He maneuvered himself to look as if he were tying his shoe and she crouched down. "I'm going to get the hair from him. We don't have time to keep arguing. We've only got forty-eight minutes before the portkeys take."</p><p>He gave a very slight nod, a smile spreading over George's face as he whispered into his twin's ear her plan. Harry faced Mad Eye, Ron and Hermione on either side of him but a few steps in front of him. She carefully crept between Harry and Hermione, brushing Hermione gently. Hermione almost jumped before a flash of understanding took her face and she stepped to the side a bit.</p><p>"…Fine, then! We'll just sit here until morning for all I care! I won't let you- <em>ouch! Shit!</em>" He grabbed at the back of his head as Elara curled her fingers around the small tuft of hair she ripped from his scalp. He looked furiously between Ron and Hermione, and turned around, trying to figure out who took the hair.</p><p>As she approached Mad Eye, Elara cancelled the <em>Disillusionment</em> charm and smiled up at the grungy, old man. "This will be enough, won't it?" She said, holding out the hairs to empty them into the flask he had opened.</p><p>"Should do just fine." Mad Eye said, staring at her with the strangest look of pride and anger on his face.</p><p>Harry finally whipped back around at the sound of her voice and she could feel his eyes on her, burning holes into her back. "Ellie…" He said, his voice a quiet whimper.</p><p>She turned around and her bottom lip tugged between her teeth. She knew he was properly angry, but she couldn't help but smile as she looked at him. "Hey, Harry." She said.</p><p>She looked at him through her lashes and she could feel a bounty of intense emotions pulsing through him before she watched his adam's apple bob with a swallow. "I… You… No. No. No. You can't be here too! You can't-</p><p>She could practically hear Fred and Ron's voices in her head as they told her to shut him up with a snog and Harry's face turned red as he began furiously explaining why this was an even worse idea now. He turned to look at Ron and Hermione accusingly, furious at his friends for letting her be there.</p><p>"You <em>know</em> what will happen to her if they catch her! They won't even care about me at that point! How could you be so- so <em>stupid</em>! Why would you-</p><p>Elara stepped behind Harry, swallowing her embarrassment and she grabbed his shoulder, spinning him to look at her. Confusion burst through the anger on his face and before he could say anything else, she pressed her lips against his.</p><p>The room was instantly quiet, the only thing heard the sounds of waiting breath to see if Harry would pull away and begin yelling at them again. After a few seconds of him standing, completely frozen to the spot, she felt his arm snake around her waist and his hand cup the back of her neck as his lips moved against hers.</p><p>"I told you a snog from you would shut him up." Ron grumbled as Fred and George laughed. She felt Harry's hand pull from her hair as it extended behind him and Ron laughed. "Oi! That's rude!"</p><p>Her fingertips grazed the sides of his face, just below his ears and she heard Mad Eye grumble incoherently before clearing his throat. "Pass it around. We need to get moving."</p><p>When Harry pulled away from her lips, he quickly pulled her into his chest, holding her tightly against him and burying his face in her hair. "I was so worried about you all summer. I knew you couldn't write. I know Hermione was okay but I just… I had been so worried that something happened with that reward put out for you." He said.</p><p>She squeezed him back just as tightly, tracing comforting circles into his back with her hands. "I know. I wanted to write, but I didn't want to risk it. You're okay though? The muggles didn't treat you too badly, did they?"</p><p>He laughed, pulling away and shaking his head. "No." He said, planting a kiss against her forehead. "No, they didn't treat me any worse than usual."</p><p>She looked at him another moment before finally, they moved. He stood by her side, lacing his fingers through hers and looked around the room.</p><p>It was the most singlehandedly bizarre thing she had ever witnessed. The twins and Ron all shrank down a few inches while Mundungus, Hermione and Fleur shot up half a foot. The sea of red hair replaced by black and seven pairs of emerald green eyes staring at her as their faces crackled and twisted, turning into Harry's face.</p><p>"Oh, look! We're identical!" Fred and George said, earning them a round of laughter from everyone else.</p><p>"Harry your eyesight really is horrendous." Hermione said, moving her hand back and forth in front of her face to try and focus on it.</p><p>"Bill, look away! I'm 'ideous!" Fleur cried, covering her face up.</p><p>"Ellie doesn't think you're bad looking, Fleur!" Fred laughed. "Isn't that right, El?"</p><p>"Shut up, Fred." Ellie said.</p><p>Harry's face was flushed as everyone began to disrobe and change into the clothes they were given to wear. Elara dropped Harry's hand, walking over to the bag and pulled out the set for him.</p><p>"This is <em>so</em> strange." Harry muttered, accepting the clothes from her.</p><p>She shrugged and leaned into his ear. "I already know what you look like naked, otherwise this would have been a real treat."</p><p>He barked a loud laugh, shaking his head as he pulled his tee shirt over his shoulders and fastened his belt. "Fred and George rubbing off on you, already? I'm not sure if I'm prepared for that."</p><p>"We need to get going, everyone has their wands and their glasses?" Mad Eye called out over the sea of Harry's and Order members.</p><p>After everyone agreed and shuffled to stand with their appointed partner, Harry looked to Elara, his brows pulled together in confusion. "You aren't coming with me and Hagrid?"</p><p>She shook her head. "No. I've got my broom. I'll be with Mad Eye."</p><p>His face dropped. "What?! No! If we <em>are</em> being tracked, he'll be the first person they go for, Ellie!"</p><p>She nodded. "I'm counting on it."</p><p>She watched as the remaining pieces of the puzzle clicked in place within his head. "They're using you for bait!" He yelled furiously.</p><p>"Harry, calm down." She said, taking a step closer to him. "Please. I <em>offered</em> to do it. I asked to! Please, calm down."</p><p>"You let her do this?!" He whirled around, searching for Ron and Hermione. "You let her be used as bait! If they… If Voldemort captures her, he'll kill her! You let-</p><p>"Mate," Ron began. "Have you met your girlfriend? Do you honestly think she hasn't thought about this thoroughly? Even voluntarily took a heavy dose of <em>Veritaserum</em> to prove a point so they would let her come!"</p><p>"Potter!" Mad Eye said, his gruff voice angry. "We do not have the time for this! We need to go!"</p><p>"I can't let you—any of you! I-I can't-</p><p>"Harry, either you calm down and we move out. Or I will calm you down myself. Either way, we're doing this and you're coming with us." Elara said, becoming frustrated with him. She hated the idea of threatening the use of her abilities on him, but if he didn't calm down, they were all going to miss their portkeys which would create an onslaught of issues.</p><p>The room went completely silent again and Harry shoved a hand through his hair in frustration. "Fine! <em>Fuck</em>! Fine! Let's go!" He said, staring angrily at Elara.</p><p>She stood on her toes and kissed him quickly. "Thank you. I'm sorry, Harry. We have to go now, and you can be upset with us later, okay? I love you, please try to understand."</p><p>He clenched his jaw, staring down at her angrily before he sighed and leaned in to give her another soft kiss. "I love you, too. But I am <em>so</em> angry at you right now."</p><p>She smiled. "I'll take what I can get."</p><p>"Now that we've kissed and made up, can we get going? We've got half the amount of time now." Lupin said, a twinkle in his eye giving away the edge to the seriousness of his tone.</p><p>"Yeah. Yeah, sorry." Harry said. "Let's go then."</p><p>They hurried outside and Elara gave Harry one last look before picking up her broom and mounting it, kicking off high into the air, she pulled the elastic from her hair, shaking the length over her shoulders.</p><p>"Not time for a beauty check!" Mad Eye grumbled.</p><p>"It's dark out!" She yelled back. "I want to make sure they see me!"</p><p>He gave a nod before flying ahead of her. She could hear the roar of the motorbike in the distance, flying the opposite direction and her heart began to pound beneath her sternum. It was quiet, almost too quiet.</p><p>Just as she began to think that maybe Fred was right, and the trail that was led at the Ministry to keep the Death Eaters off their scent had been successful, she heard a distant scream from somewhere behind her.</p><p>"They're here!" Mad Eye yelled back at her. "Dung! You better not!"</p><p>Mundungus was easily the slimiest man Elara had ever experienced. He was a gutter-wizard who pawned stolen good in Knockturn Alley for sickles and didn't seem as if he had any real skills. She didn't understand why he would be with them, but nevertheless, he was part of the Order, and she made effort to make sure he stayed with them.</p><p>She swerved around him, grabbing to the handle of his broom. "I can guide you, if you aren't comfortable flying!" She yelled. "But you have to stay. Harry's counting on you! You have to stay on your broom!" She begged.</p><p>He stared at her, eyes wide and nodded.</p><p>The grip on her wand tightened as they barreled forward, she did ninety-degree twist, turning her broom with her so that she could see better. "They're coming after us, Mad Eye! There's at least six!" She shouted.</p><p>"As soon as they get close enough, start firing curses their way!" He yelled over his shoulder. "I'll drop back and catch them from behind!"</p><p>Before she could get a word out, Mad Eye dropped below them, getting in position to fall back and start dueling. She brandished her wand and watched as suddenly they were swarmed.</p><p>"It's the girl!" She heard one of them call, Yaxley, she thought. "Look at her hair! It's her!"</p><p>She took a deep breath; she knew her hair would draw them to her. Afterall, it was undeniably Malfoy. She waited a moment, waiting for them to get closer. Finally, she stopped midair, yanking her broom sideways and began firing hex after hex at the cloaked figures that were surrounding in on them.</p><p>"Mundungus!" She yelled over her shoulder. "Mundungus I know you're terrified but you have to <em>help</em>! There's too many of them!" She fired another stunner at large man she didn't recognize before yelling out in terror as four more surrounded them. "You have to help!"</p><p>Mundungus was terrified, even with the dampening potion Fred gave her, she could feel his fear coursing through him as he muttered a few stunners at the cloaked Death Eaters surrounding them.</p><p>"It's you they want! Not me!" He cried. "I haven't done anything! They don't want me!"</p><p>"Shut up!" She yelled. "I'm going to pull the ahead you absolute <em>jellyfish</em> of a man! Try to grow a spine before you get up that far!" She hissed, rage encapsulating her as she took off, pushing forward to try and draw them off Mundungus.</p><p>She didn't care now, if they captured him. She didn't care if they hexed him from the sky. As long as all of the Death Eaters followed her away, Harry—the <em>real</em> Harry, would be safe. Because at this point, it didn't matter. Mundungus was right. They didn't want him, they wanted her.</p><p>She did a barrel roll, dodging a nasty looking purple jet of light and whipped back around to face the Death Eaters, now flying toward them instead of away from them. She felt a presence to her side and turned her head to meet a pair of terrified silver eyes, staring at her frantically.</p><p>"No." She whispered.</p><p>"Get out." Draco yelled. "Apparate away! He's here and he's going to kill all of them if you don't."</p><p>"NO!" She screamed. "NO! Why are you here?! No!"</p><p>"I had to come!" He yelled. "I had to, Ellie! I don't have time! You have to apparate or something! Get away from this, now!"</p><p>"That's her!" Alecto Carrow was quickly taking speed, rushing toward them. "Draco is talking to her! He's called the Dark Lord! It's her!"</p><p>"You called?" Her voice catching in her throat.</p><p>"No! No, Ellie! I swear! I didn't! I need you to go now, though! Please!"</p><p>She stared at him, betrayal and fear pulsing into her chest, churning her stomach and stinging her eyes. She pointed her wand to the ground beneath them and muttered a cushioning charm before pointing it at Draco. "I'm sorry." She said. "<em>Petrificus Totalus."</em></p><p>She watched as his body froze, mid-air. She pried his hands from the wood of his broom and gave him a shove, watching as he fell to the ground that was easily twenty meters below them. She leaned forward, flying back to where Mundungus was and began shouting spell after spell, hitting as many Death Eaters as she could.</p><p>Mad Eye began flying toward them with a few more on his tail and caught one of them in the chest with a Stunner that sent his flying backwards off his broom.</p><p>"We're nearly there!" Mad Eye yelled.</p><p>"He's coming!" She yelled back. "My-My brother told me! I just saw him. I cursed him off his broom, but he warned me that Voldemort is coming!"</p><p>"Good." Mad Eye barked. "If he's following us than the rest are safe."</p><p>Elara gave a sharp nod and dove below Mad Eye, spinning to cast a quick <em>Confringo</em>. Just as suddenly as she was swarmed, the Death Eaters were gone and she looked to Mad Eye in confusion. She could see his house not far ahead, but she knew the wards probably weren't stretched out quite this far.</p><p>Suddenly she heard Lupin yelling from somewhere behind them and as she turned, she saw George go falling from the broom he was on. Her heart sank and she redirected to begin in their direction.</p><p>"Get to the house!" Mad Eye and Lupin screamed at her. "Don't come back get to the-</p><p>Mad Eye's voice was lost in a scream of terror from Mundungus. She looked up, taking her focus from George's body and hovering near her was a sea of black robes, rippling in the wind and the greying, serpentine face of Voldemort. His crimson eyes were narrowed in rage and he began firing curse after curse in her direction.</p><p>"YOU WILL BE MINE!" He roared, reaching yellow-nailed hand toward her.</p><p>She dipped her broom at a sharp angle, sending her in a nose dive to the ground before yanking up to try and shake him from her trail. She heard him scream out as one of Mad Eye's curses caught him in the arm.</p><p>He whipped around, a terrifying smile splitting his face as he muttered the killing curse and she watched as it hit Mad Eye square in the chest and sent him tumbling to the ground.</p><p>"No!" She screamed.</p><p>Voldemort's laughter filled her ears and iced the blood in her veins. He looked at her and she stopped her broom, resting in the air, waiting. As he neared her, her body filled with rage like she had never felt. Begging to be let free, to be used to bring the vile man to his knees. He flew to her, his face level with hers as his eyes locked on to her seething gaze. She could hear Lupin screaming at her, begging her to keep flying. Somewhere in the distance she heard the <em>crack</em> of apparation as Mundungus fled the scene.</p><p>Finally, she pushed her thoughts to the side and held gaze with the terrifying crimson eyes. She could feel the push back, could feel the unwillingness to let her in.</p><p>"Stupid girl!" He screamed, reaching out to grip her face. She faltered a moment, the panic from the rush of memory of him being in her head overwhelming her senses. His nails sharp, yellowed nails dug into her skin, slicing through it with easy as his grip on her jaw became crushing. "You think you can get into my head?! You think you can turn on me?! That your Order will come to save you?!"</p><p>"I don't think I can, I know it." She hissed as she felt the dam break, his walls slamming down around his mind and she picked through his head as she had done to Harry, Ron and Hermione. As she had done to Alecto Carrow the night Dumbledore died. As she had demonstrated on Lupin. She carded through his brain and found something buried in the back, dusty caverns of unused and repressed emotions.</p><p><em>Torment</em>.</p><p>She ripped it through the front of his mind and watched as his sickening smile crumpled and fell. As he rolled his head about on his shoulders, the grip on her face loosening as he screamed in agony.</p><p>"What have you done?!" He screamed. "What is this?!"</p><p>She reached her hand out, grasping his wrist and forcing him to remain in contact with her. Looking back into his eyes, knowing that the physical touch would amplify the feeling as it always had. When he was lost, his eyes glazed over with unbearable pain and misery and his grip completely slackened; she let go of him and turned around, leaning forward and flying faster than she ever had toward Lupin.</p><p>"No!" He yelled, motioning for her to go away. "Go to the house! Get to the-</p><p>"But George!" She cried, her eyes finally blurring with tears. "What will-</p><p>"I'll go get him!" Lupin said. "Follow the plan, Elara!"</p><p>She looked over her shoulder to see the Voldemort had disappeared and she nodded. "It won't hold him off long!"</p><p>"We'll be right behind!" He yelled back.</p><p>She nodded and whipped back around, hurtling through the air toward Mad Eye's house. When she entered the wards, she felt the tingle of magic and she quickly dropped from her broom, sprinting into the house and looking furiously around the kitchen for the silver tea kettle. It was sitting on the stove top, as if Mad Eye had just left it there for him to use when he got back.</p><p>She stared at it, her reflection glaring back at her. He would not be coming home for tea. He would not get to sit on his patchwork old sofa and prop his good leg up and enjoy a cuppa while he read over his files.</p><p>She watched as the silver tea pot began to glow and she felt the heaviness in her chest consume her. As her fingers brushed against the metal, a sob tore from her throat. And suddenly, she was ripped away from the quaint kitchen, spinning through limbo from the yank behind her belly.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 8: Comfort in the Grass</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Lovely by Billie Eilish (Khalid)</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Falling Like the Stars by James Arthur</em>
</p><hr/><p>Elara crashed to the ground, hard. Her knees stung on the impact and her palms burned from the pebbles beneath her. A sob wracked through her body, shaking her frame as she cried. The image of Mad Eye's empty cottage, now left behind to collect dust, burning her eyes.</p><p>How many more people had to die?</p><p>She heard footsteps rushing toward her and suddenly she was being yanked to her feet, her tee shirt bunched in the hand of a furious Remus Lupin.</p><p>"What was the last question I asked you while you were under <em>Veritaserum</em>?!" He shouted in her face. Flecks of angry spit hit her skin.</p><p>"What?!" She said, blinking furiously.</p><p>"Let go of her, Remus!" Harry yelled from behind him.</p><p>"What did I ask you!?" He shouted again, his fists tightening on the cotton fabric hanging from her shoulders.</p><p>"W-why I cared for Harry!" She said. "You asked me why I cared for Harry."</p><p>He stared into her eyes for a moment before loosening the grip on her shirt. "Sorry." He mumbled. "We were sold out, or… or followed or something. I had to make sure it was you."</p><p>She nodded. "I understand." She said with a shaking voice. She pushed past Lupin and grunted as Harry's frame smacked into hers in a crushing embrace.</p><p>"You're okay?" He said. "Y-You're all right?"</p><p>He stepped away, his shaking hands roaming over her face and torso, as if checking her for injury. "I'm fine." She said. "I'm okay. And you? Are you okay?"</p><p>He nodded. "I'm fine."</p><p>Suddenly she was being tugged away from Harry and she felt Hermione's arms wrap around her. "You're okay!" She said. "You were the last one to return! We were so worried!"</p><p>"You're okay? And Ron?" She asked, pulling away to look at Hermione's face.</p><p>"I'm fine." Ron said from somewhere behind Hermione. "What hap-</p><p>"Where's George?" Elara said, her eyes racing around the small crowd coming toward them. "Where is he? Is he okay? I saw him get hit and-</p><p>She was cut off by another chest smacking into her as long arms wound around her back. "You're all right!" Fred said. "Georgie said he saw Voldemort chasing you and- and I was-</p><p>"I'm fine! How's George? I saw him get hit! I tried to go back but Lupin told me to go!"</p><p>"He's okay. Lost a lot of blood." Fred said, stepping back and walking toward the Burrow. "It was Snape. He hit him in the face. He lost an ear, but he'll be okay."</p><p>"An <em>ear</em>?" She said, incredulously.</p><p>As she neared the other Order members, the band in her chest tightened. "Where's Mad Eye?" Tonks asked. "He was supposed to be back… You, Dung and Mad Eye."</p><p>"I don't know where Mundungus went." Elara said, anger breaking through her tone. "He disapparated as soon as Voldemort started fighting us."</p><p>"Voldemort?" Mrs. Weasley squeaked in horror.</p><p>"He was there." Harry said. "I saw him too, at the very end."</p><p>"He must have gone for Harry after you used your abilities on him, Elara." Lupin said.</p><p>"You did <em>what</em>?!" Harry roared.</p><p>"He killed Mad Eye!" Elara cried, a sob wracking through her so hard she felt her body shake. "He killed him! And I-I couldn't just keep going! I had to do <em>something</em>. I had to-</p><p>"She stopped him dead in his tracks. He was screaming in pain and then he disappeared." Lupin said, placing a hand on Elara's shoulder. "I told her to keep flying to the house and get back here as soon as possible."</p><p>The quiet that settled over the group was unnerving. Elara felt sick. She felt sick to her stomach and she wanted nothing more than to lay down and sob herself silly. All she could see was Mad Eye's body falling from his broom and the fear that followed Mundungus as he disapparated behind her.</p><p>"Your abilities… They worked on Voldemort?" Harry asked, his voice coming from behind her.</p><p>She felt his hand grip her shoulder and she nodded. "I-I think so. They must have…"</p><p>"Let's get inside." Mrs. Weasley said. "I think everyone could use a drink."</p><hr/><p>Elara sat in the grass as she had every night the past eight that she had been at the Burrow. She held her arm in her lap, looking at the blood that pooled against her skin in disdain. She hated it. The Dark Magic that flowed in her. She could <em>feel</em> it poisoning her, whispering words of fear and rage as it infected her blood and pumped through her veins.</p><p>She heard a rustling in the grass behind her and sighed. "How's George?" She asked, not bothering to look behind her.</p><p>"He'll be okay. Fred's in there with him now."</p><p>She looked up and saw Harry standing next to her, looking down at her arm. "When did you start bleeding? Are you okay? Do you know what curse-</p><p>"I'm fine, Harry." She pressed the tip of her wand to the gash and muttered a quick healing spell. "I'm fine."</p><p>He frowned, pulling his brows together and stared at her for several moments. "Are you-</p><p>"If you finish that question, I'm going to hex you." She said.</p><p>He chuckled and sat next to her, drawing his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. He placed his chin on top his knees and sighed, looking out to the field as the long grass rippled from the wind. As she cast a <em>Tergeo</em> to siphon the blood from her skin. She glanced up at him through long black lashes and knew he felt the weight of Mad Eye's death the way she had.</p><p>"It's not your fault, you know." She said, leaning toward him so their shoulders touched.</p><p>"It's not yours either." He murmured.</p><p>"I could have done something." She said, picking at the grass beneath her legs. "I could have-</p><p>"What?" Harry asked, picking his head up and looking at her. "What could you have done?"</p><p>She sighed, shrugging her shoulders. "I don't know." She admitted. "If I would have been more alert or-or…"</p><p>"You couldn't have done anything else." Harry said.</p><p>He leaned into her and took her hand, lacing his fingers through hers. She shifted and settled her head on his shoulder, pulling his hand into her lap. They sat still and quiet for so long her back end went numb, but she didn't care enough to move. She was happy he was here and safe. She wanted to just enjoy the moment with him, because she was terrified to think she may not have many more like it. The morality of the upcoming war had hit her like a bludger and she wasn't sure she could think about anything else.</p><p>People were going to die. People she cared about. She had spent the entirety of the last year trying desperately to keep that from happening, and it happened anyway.</p><p>"I saw Draco." She whispered, finally breaking the silence.</p><p>"He was there? Snape is the one who got George." Harry said.</p><p>"Yeah. He tried to warn me. Told me to apparate away, that Voldemort would kill all of you."</p><p>"What did you do?" Harry asked.</p><p>"I put him in a body bind and knocked him from his broom." She said. "I did a cushioning charm first, so I'm hoping he's okay."</p><p>Harry made a noncommittal sound, acknowledging her worry. "My cousin told me he doesn't hate me." He said, chuckling softly at the notion.</p><p>"He did?" She asked, turning a bit to look at him. She was thankful for the subject change.</p><p>He nodded. "Yeah. I thought my aunt was going to burst into tears."</p><p>He laid back in the grass and pulled her into him. She curled onto her side and folded one arm under her head and placed the other over his chest. She studied his face as he stared up to the sky, his eyes flickering between the clouds and the stars.</p><p>"It feels almost wrong doesn't it? Everything being so peaceful right now." Harry said.</p><p>"Calm before the storm?" She suggested.</p><p>"Probably." Harry said. "Did you really take <em>Veritaserum</em>?"</p><p>She nodded. "Yeah." She whispered, tracing pattern onto the fabric of the shirt clinging to his chest. "Mad Eye, Lupin, and Mr. Weasley questioned me."</p><p>"Hermione said she was with you."</p><p>"Yeah, it was nice to have her there."</p><p>"She told me she <em>Obliviated</em> her parents." He said.</p><p>"She did. We'll find them though, after everything is done. We'll find them and restore their memories. She's terrified for them. Everyone's terrified of everything right now."</p><p>"With good reason." Harry said. "It'd be strange if no one was afraid, wouldn't it?"</p><p>"I guess that's true. Doesn't make it any easier though."</p><p>He snorted. "No, I reckon it doesn't."</p><p>He turned his face to hers and pressed his lips to her forehead. "I'm glad you came."</p><p>She smiled. "I knew you'd come around."</p><p>She pushed herself up onto her elbow and stared down at him for a moment. He looked exhausted, he had a few nasty scrapes across his face and bags under his eyes that suggested he hadn't slept a full night in weeks. But as she looked at his face, she felt a warmth return in her chest she hadn't realized was missing.</p><p>Whatever this strange limbo their relationship hung in, she was certain that he loved her, and she him. And being here with him now was the first time in weeks she didn't worry. She wasn't sick with fear for her family. She wasn't terrified of what may be coming, she was able to just exist for a moment, without everyone else's emotions overcrowding her head.</p><p>"You're staring." He chuckled.</p><p>"I haven't seen you in weeks." She said, leaning closer to him. "I thought I'd forgotten what you looked like."</p><p>"I couldn't forget you even if I tried." He said, closing the distance between them by pulling her lips to his.</p><p>He pushed himself up on his elbows and she tilted her head, deepening the kiss. She sighed as he ran his tongue along her bottom lip, tugging it between his teeth before claiming her mouth as his own. She felt him shift again pulling her up to a sitting position while his hands roamed her body, featherlight touches down her side as one hand held the back of her head, fusing their lips together.</p><p>She was dizzy from it. The smell of him, broom polish and treacle. The honey and chocolate taste in his mouth. She had thought often over the last almost two months about kissing Harry, she had longed for it. And now that it was here, she never wanted it to stop. She felt whole and wondered how on <em>earth</em> she had ever convinced herself that she didn't need to be in his life. That he was better off without her. How could she have thought that something that felt so electrifying and <em>perfect</em> was not for them?</p><p>He pulled his lips from hers and pressed searing kisses into the skin on her neck as she twisted her fingers through his hair, moaning softly as he nipped the tender skin. Surely, there was nothing more important worth fighting for? There was no one more worthy of her efforts. She loved her family, she worried for them constantly, but they had made their beds, as Blaise had tried to remind her. They had put themselves into an impossible situation and now that they were backed against the wall with no way out, they expected her to return to them. Even if it was by capture.</p><p>She pulled away from Harry, panting.</p><p>"Sorry." He said. "Sorry, I got carried away and-</p><p>"No." She shook her head. "No, it isn't that…"</p><p>It had tumbled over her so quickly and so honestly, she didn't know what to do. She had chosen her side, she knew that. She knew she didn't want to be a Death Eater, she didn't want to work for Voldemort, she didn't want to be a pawn. She didn't want to be a <em>Malfoy</em>, anymore. For the first time since her life had drastically changed a year ago, she had found herself thinking that she didn't want to worry for their fates anymore.</p><p>Sure, Draco had told her to apparate away, to get out. But then, that's all he ever told her. Get out. Never stay. He never fought for her the way Harry was fighting for <em>everyone</em>. He never <em>asked</em> for her help once she got to Hogwarts, he demanded it. She loved him, of course she loved him. But she couldn't say with honesty that he would have her best interests at heart. He had fought her relentlessly on trying to get him out of the task, away from the darkness that he was drowning in and instead he stayed and pushed her away.</p><p>Her eyes welled with tears and as she blinked, her vision clouded and then cleared, as they spilled over the rim of her eyes.</p><p>"Ellie?" Harry asked. "Ellie, what is it?"</p><p>"You." She said, laughing lightly and pressing her lips back into his. "You have just… You just make me understand."</p><p>"O-okay…" He asked, pulling his head back from hers and knitting his brows together. "I don't…"</p><p>"Harry, for so long I thought I had to be them. I thought… I don't know… Blaise had told me over and over that I didn't have to be like them. That I was good and that they made their beds and that it was their problem and I just couldn't let it go like that. But with you…"</p><p>She stared into his eyes and knew she sounded insane, rambling on like a madwoman and not formulating actual sensical sentences, but she had to get it out. She needed him to know what she felt. She had spent the last six weeks wallowing and drowning in pity for herself, for her family. Worry for him, worry for everyone else.</p><p>"I feel safe with you." She said. "I was so scared today. I was so afraid that everything would go wrong. And it did. It went <em>horribly</em>, but I still feel like I can breathe. You do that for me, Harry. You give me air when no one else can. Does that make sense?"</p><p>"Like a part of you has been missing these last six weeks." He whispered.</p><p>She nodded. "And now it's not."</p><p>She felt <em>whole</em> with Harry. She felt understood and comforted. She felt terrified and anxious. She felt such a mix of confusing things, but they all existed together. Harry was the grey area between her white and black choices. He was the uncertainty that pushed her to figure things out. When Lupin had asked her why she cared for Harry the answer had been so stupidly simple because <em>it was</em>. Her grip on love had always been fleeting. She never really understood it because it was such a <em>grey area</em> in emotions. A blind spot for an empath.</p><p>She leaned into him again, capturing his lips with hers and trying to push every realization she had just had into the kiss. Their mouths moved in rhythm as he pulled her into his lap, her knees on either side of his thighs. He wrapped his arms around her, running his hands up and down her back and slipping them beneath the hem of her shirt. His hands seared into her skin, leaving hot trails of bumpy flesh that made her shiver as he pressed his lips to her neck and collar. He groaned as she wriggled her hips, grinding down onto his and she could feel his want pressing against her.</p><p>Although she had only been here with Harry once before, she could tell it was different. It wasn't the need of emptiness, begging to be filled. It wasn't her desperate want to feel something, to cut through the numbness she had felt before the first time. The racing of her heart wasn't out of fear or worry about what may happen if she continued, what consequences may come if she loved him. The pounding in her chest was reminding her that with him, she was complete. She was utterly and irrevocably <em>complete</em>. This was her heart spilling forward and sharing with him instead of taking what he had to give. Instead of stealing his kindness, compassion, bravado, and fight; she was sharing hers with him.</p><p>She pulled away from him, grabbing the ends of his shirt and tearing it over his head, tossing it to the ground next to him. He followed her, yanking at the hem of her own, chuckling as it tangled around her hair before throwing it next to his. He leaned forward, laying her on his back and settling himself between her legs. His hands roamed the planes of her abdomen, tracing the lines of her skin and lingering at the waistband of her jeans. Her fingers left the twist of his hair, meeting his hands and making quick work of the buttons on the denim.</p><p>"We're outside." Harry reminded her, taking her earlobe between his teeth.</p><p>"It's the middle of the night." She whispered, her words coming out in breathy pants. "I don't care."</p><p>She felt his face split into a smile as he worked his way back down her neck and chest. "Neither do I."</p><p>As he buried his face into her breasts, circling the peaked flesh of her nipple with his tongue, his hand slid past the elastic of her knickers and she moaned as he brushed the heat between her thighs. She rocked her hips forward, pulling them from the grass to chase the pressure of his fingers. He responded, swiping his fingers across her pearl and she gasped as she felt him dip his fingers into her entrance.</p><p>Her back arched off the ground as he worked her from inside, his thumb working furious circles around her peak. He kissed his way back up her neck and slanted his mouth over his, immediately seeking her tongue with his own. She could feel him pressed against her thigh and as she bucked into his palm, he groaned.</p><p>She untangled her hands form her hair, running them the length of his torso and undoing the buckle of his belt. He paused, holding still as she unzipped his jeans and shoved at them, pushing them down past his hips. He pulled away from her mouth and removed his hand from her, gripping the rough material of her own trousers and pulling them off of her, kicking his own completely off in the process.</p><p>If she had a moment to think about it, to think about how embarrassed she would be if someone came outside, she might have stopped him. But he was staring down at her, and the way the light from the moon and the stars danced around his face took her breath away. She brought her hands up to either side of his face and lightly held his face in front of hers, watching his eyes as they danced across her. His emerald eyes were darkened, his pupils slightly dilated as he pressed himself into her folds. She gave a ghost of a nod and his eyes bore into hers as he pushed into her, hissing a low groan through his teeth.</p><p>He waited a moment, staring down at her as he pushed her hair from her face and slowly brought his lips back to hers. "You are <em>everything</em>." He whispered, pulling back slowly before pushing into her again.</p><p>As he rocked against her, his chest pressed to hers and his hands roaming her body, she could feel his heart beat against her skin. Thumping in perfect unison with hers, in beat with the soft moans and slapping flesh as they bucked into one another. Harry's hips moved faster, picking up pace as he panted and swore in low, drawn out syllables. The fingers on his right hand found hers and he twisted them together, pressing her hand hard into the grass as he steadied himself, the nails on her left hand cutting crescent shaped marks into his shoulder.</p><p>She felt the tightness behind her navel tug, pulling apart like a loose thread on a sweater as she came undone, wrapping her arms around Harry's back and pulling him into her chest as she yelled out, crying his name in broken breath. He grabbed her jaw and forced her chin down, staring into her face as she rode the waves of bliss, his eyes locked on her as his thrusts became erratic and finally, he followed her over the edge.</p><p>They lay in a heap of sweat slicked limbs on the cool lawn. The late July breeze licked their skin as the trees rustled around them. As she worked to catch her breath, she noticed the stillness of the night, the quiet around them. Not a single clucking from a chicken or the teeth gnashing of the gnomes tearing through the shrubs. Only the sounds of their desperate pants and echoes of their moans.</p><p>She whined when Harry removed himself from her, sitting back on his knees and surveying their surroundings. "It's quiet." He whispered.</p><p>She nodded. "I noticed that too." She sat up, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. "We should probably go inside."</p><p>He chuckled. "Yeah, people might start to wonder where we've gone off to."</p><p>She shrugged. "I sit out here every night." She admitted. "Although, not usually for this long."</p><p>"Are you normally starkers?" He asked, raising his eyebrows and biting back a smile.</p><p>She laughed, throwing her head back. "Maybe, maybe not, Potter. Guess you'll have to meet me out here again tomorrow to find out."</p><p>"Oh? I quite like the sound of that." He smiled, leaning over to kiss her once more before pulling his shirt over his head and handing her the rumpled pile of clothing she had been wearing.</p><p>They dressed in silence and stood together, clasping hands and slowly making their way to the back door that led directly to the kitchen.</p><p>"You know," Harry began, his voice low. "That was… That was very different this time."</p><p>"Different in a bad way?" She asked, glancing at him.</p><p>"Merlin, no!" He said. "No, not at all. It just felt… It's the first time since you know… Since everything that happened and… it felt <em>real</em>? I don't know how to explain it I just…" He stopped, looking down at her as he tried to work his emotions into words.</p><p>"I know what you mean." She said. "It was different this time… Almost as if it were more… I don't know…"</p><p>"Honest?" Harry offered.</p><p>She nodded. "Yeah. Honest."</p><p>Harry hesitated a moment, reaching a hand out to brush her hair behind her shoulders. "I don't know what this is between us." He waved his hand, motioning between them as he continued. "I know I said I needed time, I needed us to be slow if we gave it another go… But, I-I still love you, so much that it hurts sometimes. And I… I erm, I don't really know what to do with that."</p><p>She stood still, staring at him with wide eyes. He still loved her, and she knew that. But it was so <em>different</em> now. Maybe it was the events of the last few months coupled with spending six weeks apart that did it, but he felt like home now. He felt like lazy Sunday mornings in her favorite jumper and flying leisurely on her broom through the garden.</p><p>"Ellie? This erm.. This is where you should, erm… Maybe say something?"</p><p>She blinked a few times before her face stretched into a beaming grin. "I would like very much to give it another go, if you wanted to."</p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>She nodded. "Yes."</p><p>He grinned back at her and leaned in, pressing his lips to her forehead before tugging her hand and walking through the kitchen door.</p><hr/><p>Slowly, Elara's eyes opened. Blinking against the sun streaming in through the room she shared with Ginny and Hermione. As she sat up, she saw their beds were empty and she stretched her arms above her head. She felt rested. She had actually slept through the night for the first time in nearly two months. She gathered her clothes for the day and padded down the hall to the bathroom, slipping inside to shower and clean herself up a bit from the hectic night before. After she dried her hair, she slipped into a pair of jean shorts and a baggy tee shirt with the "Weasley Wizard Wheezes" logo on it that she had knicked from Fred's laundry. It was about three sizes too large and nearly ran the length of the shorts. The neck was stretched out and slipped over her shoulders, but it was comfortable and she knew there would be a lot of work to do today.</p><p>She gathered her hair into a ponytail on the top of her head and grimaced at the stubborn hairs around her face refused to stay in place. She walked back to the bedroom, depositing her pajamas into a basket and slipped on her trainers.</p><p>She could hear the chaos of a morning at The Burrow unfolding, as she descended the stairs and swept through the sitting room. Fred, Bill, and Harry all sat at the table in the kitchen.</p><p>"Morning." She said, smiling at the men before her while she crossed to the cabinet and pulled down a mug. She filled her mug from the kettle on the burner before taking the open spot next to Harry.</p><p>"Morning." Harry smiled, leaning over to brush his lips to her cheek.</p><p>"Hey!" Fred said, stopping his conversation with Bill to look at Elara. "That's my shirt!"</p><p>She looked down at it and then back up at him, smirking. "Is it? I wondered what lanky git would have a shirt so big!"</p><p>"Cheeky!" He teased. "You've got Harry here now, aren't you supposed to steal his stuff?"</p><p>"Maybe." She agreed. "But you see, I haven't got a lot of clothes and when it got mixed up in my laundry the other day, I decided I quite liked it."</p><p>"Haven't got a lot of clothes?!" Fred said, his eyes going wide with mischief. "If that why you were rolling around in the buff last night?"</p><p>Harry choked on his pumpkin juice and Bill roared with laughter as Elara's face turned beet red.</p><p>"W-what are you on about?" She said, trying to ignore the flush in her cheeks.</p><p>"Just that, for every night the last week I've met a cheeky blonde witch outside for a chat and sometimes a biscuit or two, and last night I had a particularly lovely biscuit to share… Instead, I had to cast a silencing charm over two very naughty teenagers!" Fred said.</p><p>Elara buried her face in her hands as embarrassment washed over her, threatening to tear the air from her lungs right then.</p><p>"Explains why it got so quiet out." Harry murmured.</p><p>Bill burst out in laughter again, clapping Harry on the shoulder and shaking his head. "You're lucky mum didn't find you! She'd have you scrubbing the chicken coops by hand!"</p><p>"Oh, what's wrong Ellie?" Fred teased. "It's just a bit of fun! It's all natural!"</p><p>She smacked his arm away from her as leaned over to poke her side. "Oh! Shut up! I can't believe-</p><p>"Gonna have to find somewhere more discreet next time." Fred suggested, laughter still cracking in his voice.</p><p>She was utterly mortified. She could feel the flush in her cheeks spreading into her chest and creeping over her ears. Fred and Bill continued laughing hysterically as Harry shifted uncomfortably in his seat, pulling the collar of his shirt up to cover his face.</p><p>"Ugh you absolute <em>twat</em>!" She cried. "You really are just- just so insufferable sometimes!"</p><p>Fred put a hand to his chest in feigned offence. "Insufferable? Twat?! I take offence to that, Ellie! Here I am, being <em>such</em> a nice person and silencing you two so your loud <em>moaning</em> doesn't wake the entire village! And you can't even say thank you?!"</p><p>Bill reached a slender finger up to his face, wiping a tear form his eye as his raucous laughter turned to burping chuckles. "I thought me and Fleur were bad. Crikey! We never… Not in the <em>garden</em> anyway!"</p><p>"No, but you've had your fun in every room of the house and then some!" Fred laughed.</p><p>Bill shrugged. "I'm a passionate man, brother! What can I say?"</p><p>"Can we <em>please</em> talk about <em>literally</em> anything else?" Elara begged.</p><p>"All right, all right." Fred said, leaning over to give her arm a light squeeze. "I'll stop takin the mickey with you. Harry, on the other hand…"</p><p>"Shut up." Harry grumbled from under the material of his tee shirt.</p><p>Another round of laughter filled the air this time, Elara joined in. She couldn't remember the last time she had a good laugh like this. Even if it was at the expense of her and Harry. When the laughter died down and Harry and Elara's embarrassment faded, they began talking quietly about the previous night.</p><p>Elara explained what happened with Voldemort, how Mundungus disapparated and Mad Eye caught Voldemort with a curse before being killed. She told Bill and Fred about seeing Draco and how terrified he had been to see her there.</p><p>The conversation was halted when Mrs. Weasley came in and began giving out chores for the four of them to do. Fred had mentioned that his mother was being exceptionally picky about things, with Bill's wedding coming the next fortnight. Elara knew this to be true, having had her fair share of odd tasks over the last week or so.</p><p>"Harry, Bill, won't you help George with the chickens? I'd like that coop to be repaired completely by the end of the day. And Elara, dear—you go with Fred and start replanting the flowers the gnomes dug up, would you?"</p><p>"Of course, Mrs. Weasley." Elara agreed, happy to get the task of tending to the plants. "Will they need mended?"</p><p>"Oh, probably!" She huffed. "The Gnomes have been terrible this summer!"</p><p>She bundled up the laundry she had set on the counter and hurried off through the sitting room, muttering about making sure the linens were pressed before the wedding. Bill sighed and stood from the table, complaining about being a "full grown wizard and she still orders me about!" and Harry followed after him, pressing a chaste kiss to Elara's lips before jogging out the door.</p><p>Elara followed Fred outside, rounding to the back of the house and heading toward the cleared space where the tent would be resurrected for the wedding. They began sorting through the uprooted plants, determining what was weeds and what was worth keeping.</p><p>After an hour, Fred sat back on his haunches, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand.</p><p>"You know," He said, looking pointedly at Elara. "I've noticed mum keeps splitting you lot up with these tasks."</p><p>Elara nodded, continuing to dig in the ground with the spade she had found nearby. "I've noticed that as well." She said.</p><p>"She's afraid you're going to take off, after the wedding. Especially now that Harry is here." Fred said.</p><p>Elara placed the small shrub into the hole and used her hands to push the soil back around it. Once it was properly planted, she dusted her hands off and sat back, staring at Fred. "What makes her think that?"</p><p>Fred shrugged. "You spend enough time with Harry, Hermione, and Ron… You just kind of learn to expect they're going to run off and do something incredibly stupid."</p><p>She remained quiet, wiping the rest of the dirt hastily from her hands on to her jeans. Truthfully, they hadn't talked much about their plans yet. Hermione and Elara had spent plenty of time while at her home in Hampstead talking about what they <em>thought</em> they may end up doing. Hermione was set to leave at the drop of a quill, her bag was packed and ready and had been since the start of summer. Elara had come to the decision that she would do what she had to do to help bring Voldemort down, even if the uncertainty of what that entailed left her anxious.</p><p>"Harry has a job to do." She whispered, unsure how upset Harry would be if she revealed anything to Fred. "If he needs my help… If he needs <em>our</em> help, we'll do just that."</p><p>Fred chuckled, shaking his head. "It's scary how well you fit in around here."</p><p>She bit her lip and smiled. She wasn't sure if she <em>really </em>even had a place here at The Burrow or even among The Order, but she was content to try and prove she wanted it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 9: Making Plans</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Bad Things by</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Devil in Me by Halsey</em>
</p><hr/><p>Draco groaned as he sputtered, coughing up the last of the vomit in the back of his throat onto the stone floors beneath him. He wasn't sure how long he had been there, his concept of time under the <em>Cruciatus</em> curse was always warped. Sometimes, it felt like seconds. Other times it felt like days.</p><p>"Stupid, stupid boy!"</p><p>He could hear Bellatrix hissing as she paced, her heeled boots clicking against the floor.</p><p>"What would you have had him do, Bella?!" His mother cried. "What could he have possibly done?! She put him in a body bind and shoved him from his broom!"</p><p>"He should have called for the Dark Lord!" Bellatrix cried in anger. "He should have done his duty and called for him!"</p><p>"Alecto had already done so!" His mother defended. "She had already alerted him! Surely Draco refraining from contacting him had no result in what happened!"</p><p>Draco's head was swimming. It had been the same conversation for nearly a week. Always ending with more torture to him, more pain, more beatings. He flinched when he saw the black boots of his aunt come into his view and stop at his torso.</p><p>"If you harm him again, Bella…" His mother said.</p><p>"You'll do, what exactly?" Bellatrix barked. "What will you do about, Cissy?!"</p><p>He heard his mother sigh, and knew there was nothing she could do. She likely didn't have her wand on her. She was never permitted to have her wand in her hand when the Death Eaters were around. <em>For a group of people who consistently reminded them that they were cowards, they sure are afraid of a Malfoy with a wand,</em> he thought bitterly.</p><p>"Narcissa."</p><p>Draco's eyes roamed the fuzzy room before him at his father's warning tone. He was here? He hardly made himself present at any of the meetings as of late. Especially once the Dark Lord had taken his ire out on him the night Potter was moved.</p><p>Draco closed his eyes and drew in a long breath.</p><p>That night had been hell.</p><p>The Carrows found him on the ground during the aftermath. Draco was thankful that his sister was smart enough to cast a cushioning charm before she sent him off his broom. Otherwise, he was sure his body would have been badly broken. Instead, he had only suffered a few fractured ribs, nothing worse than when he got the life beat from him on any other day. A few gulps of Skele-Gro would take care of that.</p><p>It had been the look in her eyes when she saw him that brought him the most pain. The absolute terror and anger that swirled around the silver irises that made him hate himself. That made him hate every bit of what he was doing and where he was at.</p><p>But he had seen her. And she was with The Order. She was with Potter. She would be safe.</p><p>"Should've let Greyback finish the brat off when I had the chance!" Bellatrix said. Draco could feel the hot saliva hit his face as she spat on him. "Fucking disgrace."</p><p>"Bella, that's enough!" His mother said. "Please! He's just a boy! He's—He's a child! Your nephew, in case you've forgotten! Please!"</p><p>Draco risked a look up, trying to focus his vision to see his aunt.</p><p>"You were made for each other." She hissed, waving her hand between his parents. "both you, cowards! Your son, no better. The only reason you're still alive is because of Elara. That's the only good thing you've done."</p><p>"While I appreciate your sentiment to my daughter," His father said, his voice low and seething. "You will not talk to me or my wife that way <em>in my house</em>."</p><p>"We'll see how long this house is yours, <em>Lucius." </em>She said, venom dripping from her tone.</p><p>Draco sighed in relief as he heard the clicking of her boots grow distant. Within seconds, his mother's face came to view. Her eyes rimmed red and her face blotchy. She pushed the hair back from his sweating forehead and grabbed his face, her eyes searching him.</p><p>"Draco, can you hear me? Are you okay?"</p><p>He nodded. "I'm all right." He ground out, knowing the pain in his voice was evident.</p><p>"Let's get you up to bed, Dragon." She said, her voice soft but shaking.</p><p>She grasped his elbow and he grimaced as he sat upright, pulling in a sharp breath as he felt the bones in his side shift uncomfortably. He idly wondered how much Skele-Gro a person could consume without it becoming detrimental to their health as he slowly pushed himself from the floor and to his own two feet.</p><p>"They're still angry, then?" He whispered, looking between his parents.</p><p>His father looked every bit as haggard as he had the first day he had seen him after the Astronomy Tower. His eyes were blood shot, from crying or Firewhiskey, Draco wasn't sure. He assumed a mixture of the two. His usually clean, flawless skin was greying and rough with stubble. His lips cracked from dehydration and his limp was more severe than he could ever remember it being.</p><p>"Furious, more like it." His father muttered.</p><p>He grabbed Draco around the waist, helping support his weight so his mother wouldn't have to. They slowly walked through the corridors and up the stairs, taking each step one at time to make up from Draco's likely broken (again) ribs and his father's injured leg. Finally, they reached the door to his room and Draco all but collapsed onto his bed, groaning in pain as his head sank into his pillow.</p><p>"How much more of this, Lucius?!" His mother hissed.</p><p>Draco could hear the clinking of glass as she dug through the cabinet in the bathroom attached to his room. He hoped there was a pain potion in there, he wasn't sure he could deal with the burning in his side any longer.</p><p>"I'm trying to take the brunt of it, Narcissa. I can only offer myself up so many times before they get bored and move on to you or Draco."</p><p>"Then let them take me!" She nearly yelled. "He is a child!"</p><p>"He is <em>of age</em>." His father argued. "If he keeps stepping in front of you like that- I can't help him!"</p><p>Draco shifted, slowly pushing himself into a sitting position and dragging his body backward so his back was resting against the headboard.</p><p>"I'd do it again." Draco called, knowing that he shouldn't be eavesdropping but they were having this discussion in <em>his</em> bathroom, after all. "I'd step in front of you every time, mum. I won't let them do this to you."</p><p>Bellatrix had been in a particularly nasty mood today. The Auror department at the ministry was proving far more difficult to overthrow than they had originally thought would be, and it was the last step before they could completely over take them. Two Death Eaters had been killed while trying to fight earlier, and while they weren't even marked yet, The Dark Lord had been furious that two of his supporters within the ministry had fallen. He took it out on Bellatrix, who came straight to the Manor to take it out on Lucius.</p><p>The Dark Lord had yet to address Draco since the night Potter was moved. When they had come back to the Manor afterward, he had been banished from sight. He laid in his bed that night with his mother, listening to his father's screams echo through the house. Holding her to his chest as she cried tears of fear and sorrow for everything that had happened in the last year.</p><p>He vowed he would never see his mother in a state like that ever again.</p><p>His mother emerged from the bathroom, looking at him in exasperation. "Draco, you must not-</p><p>He held a hand up. "I'm of age, mum." He said. "They can torture me all they want. They will not hurt you again."</p><p>She sat on the edge of his bed, staring at him in disbelief. Draco pulled his eyes from her face and sought his father. He was standing across the room, gripping the back of an arm chair for support and Draco swore he saw something flash across his eyes. <em>Pride</em>.</p><p>He took the small bottles from his mother's trembling hands and uncorked them, taking them down one after another and grimacing at the taste. She conjured a glass and filled it, handing him the water immediately. He gulped it down, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand and setting the glass on the night stand.</p><p>"They can't come after Ellie and you." He whispered. "You've done nothing wrong."</p><p>A frown pulled her mouth down as her forehead creased. She reached over and lightly gripped his chin, looking over his face as if she were inspecting him. "I don't know when you became this man, but I am grateful."</p><p>Draco's lips tugged up a bit, a ghost of a smile threatening to crack the hardened lines of his beaten face. "I love you, mum."</p><p>She ran the back of her hand over his cheek and smiled softly at him. "And I, you. My Dragon."</p><hr/><p>"I think a few runes books may be needed. Just in case…" Hermione said, sorting through the pseudo library she had brought with her in her charmed bag. "I don't know exactly what <em>they'll</em> entail or how to rid of them. But it's old magic, so we may need to decipher runes."</p><p>Elara nodded in agreement. "That sounds reasonable. I would think maybe this one might come in handy too…" She picked out her copy of <em>Building Blocks of Building Spells</em> and handed it to Hermione. "It's very useful to know how to put together a new spell."</p><p>"You think we'll need to create new spells?" Ron asked, looking up from the trunk he was digging through. "Why would we need to do that?"</p><p>"Well, if we don't know exactly where we'll be, we may need to use some creative thinking. It doesn't hurt to have a plethora of new spells on deck, just in case." Elara explained. "Besides, conjuring food is nearly impossible without the resources to multiply it. If we can create food from say… A packet of seeds or a scrap of meat, well, that will require us to break down a series of charms and spells and sew them together. This will help us do that."</p><p>"I'm rubbish with charms." Ron grumbled. "I don't think I'll be any good at piecing new ones together."</p><p>"Then you'll have to learn." Elara said, bluntly. "It isn't that difficult once you understand the basics of it. Keep the book until we leave, look it over. I'll help you. Hermione and I worked a bit at her house on it. I used to create little spells all the time back at home."</p><p>As Ron opened his mouth to say something, the door to his room swung open and a very annoyed looking Harry crossed through the threshold. He shut the door behind him and plopped down on the bed. "Your mum keeps cornering me." He grumbled, leaning down to place his lips onto the top of Elara's head. "And she's cross with us again. She's angry that we won't tell her what we're doing."</p><p>Elara looked up at him from her spot on the floor and offered a small smile. His lips tugged up at the sight and he leaned back down to press another kiss to her lips.</p><p>"If you could both come up for air so we could talk about it…" Ron grumbled.</p><p>Elara laughed. "Sorry. It's been weeks since we've seen each other Ron!"</p><p>"Yeah, well… It's been weeks since I've seen him too and you don't see me throwing myself at him!" He snapped.</p><p>Harry burst into laughter. "You want to throw yourself at me, mate? Have at it! You might have to fight Ellie, but I'll be here with open arms for you!"</p><p>"Oh, I won't fight him. He can snog you all he wants." She laughed.</p><p>"Shut up!" Ron said, his face turning red. "You know what I meant!"</p><p>As they laughed and continued sorting through the books that were deemed important enough to take with them, they talked of the plan to leave. Trying to figure out exactly where they would go and what they would need to do.</p><p>"I think Grimmauld Place will be our best bet." Harry said. "For now, anyway. It'll offer us some coverage and we may be able to find some answers there."</p><p>"We'll have more coverage as well." Hermione agreed. "It will not go unnoticed if we don't show up at Hogwarts for start of term. They'll start looking for us."</p><p>"They're already looking for me." Elara sighed, rolling her eyes and settling her back into Harry's legs. "It'll get worse if I don't show up to King's Cross in September. They'll know I'm with you lot now."</p><p>"Hopefully we can keep them off our scent long enough to get rid of the Horcruxes." Harry said. "We'll just need to figure out a way to kill them."</p><p>They began talking again, trying to smooth out a few details to what little they had planned. They would go on the run the day after Bill and Fleur's wedding. A decision met with a mutinous glare from Harry, but overall accepted as what needed to happen. If they left before the wedding, Ron's family would never forgive them, and it was the least they could do after everything Mrs. Weasley and the rest of the red-headed clan had done for them.</p><p>They decided on stopping first at Grimmauld place and then working out the kinks from there. Harry mentioned ownership of a house-elf, which Elara thought may help them communicate with others, if needed. Having a house-elf would also prove useful in gathering supplies and food, if ordered not to reveal anything, he simply would keep his mouth closed until he exploded if that's what it meant to uphold his orders.</p><p>As they finally sorted through the last of the books, deciding on at least a dozen that would be useful, they came up with a plan to, hopefully, deter ministry or Death Eater suspicion of their absences from Hogwarts. Hermione's family, having already moved to Australia, should be safe. But Ron was beside himself with worry for his own. The family was too large to send them all into hiding. The adult members would need to keep their jobs. After putting their heads together, they decided to spread a rumor around of Ron's sudden and horrible spattergoit. They would transfigure the ghoul living in the attic to look similar to Ron, cover him in pustules and let him live in Ron's room once they leave.</p><p>Elara saw a bounty of holes in the plan, but spattergoit was highly contagious, so as long as no one got close to look, they should hopefully be able to pass it off if anyone visited.</p><p>The afternoon began to slip into dusk and the group was once again handed several tasks, splitting them away from one another to work on a variety of cleaning, cooking, or repairs. Ron, Ginny and George were sent to de-gnome the garden <em>again</em>, Hermione and Fred began patching the furniture in the main sitting room and Harry, Bill, and Mr. Weasley were repairing the large tent that would be resurrected for the wedding. Elara ended up in the kitchen, piping icing on to small cakes with Mrs. Weasley.</p><p>She had no idea what she was doing, if she were being honest, but she enjoyed working in the kitchen all the same. Mrs. Weasley had shown a surprising amount of patience with her, when teaching her how to decorate the tiny cakes and pies.</p><p>"Just like that, dear! You're doing wonderful!" She praised, smiling brightly at her as Elara placed yet another finished cake onto the tray floating between them.</p><p>They mostly worked in silence, Mrs. Weasley commenting here and there on her cakes or pies and muttering spells under her breath to replenish the amount of icing in her bag and keep the desserts under stasis so they remained fresh. Two hours later, and several cakes frosted, Mrs. Weasley gave the strangest look to Elara.</p><p>"Mrs. Weasley? Are you all right?" She asked, pausing the decorating she was working on to look at the older woman.</p><p>"Yes, yes. I am. I just… That song you're humming. What is it?" She asked.</p><p>Elara blushed, having not even realized she was humming. "Oh, erm… I don't actually know what it's called. I heard it years ago in the muggle village by the Manor. It gets caught in my head sometimes."</p><p>"Well, it's very nice, whatever it is." She said, going back to her cake.</p><p>Mrs. Weasley had seemed to be the most tentative around Elara. While she defended her and vehemently rejected the idea of her being questioned under <em>Veritaserum</em>, she always felt suspicious and cautious around her. Elara, admittedly, had not gone out of her way to try and remedy this. She assumed there would be a lot of pushback from certain members of The Order. Ron and Fred constantly reassured her that their mother would come around, but it hadn't proven to be that way.</p><p>"Mrs. Weasley, may I ask you something?" Elara said, deciding it was now or never to talk to the woman.</p><p>"Of course, dear." She mumbled, keeping her eyes trained on the task at hand.</p><p>"Is it the wedding that has you anxious, or is it me?" She asked.</p><p>Mrs. Weasley paused, looking up at her, her brows furrowed together. "What makes you think I'm anxious, dear?"</p><p>"Empath, remember? I can feel that you're anxious right now."</p><p>"Those potions must not be working for you." She muttered under her breath.</p><p>Elara chuckled. "It works. But it only dampens my ability. I can still feel everyone's emotions, it's just not as overbearing. If I'm one on one with someone, like we are now, I can still feel the other person pretty easily."</p><p>Mrs. Weasley sighed, setting down her piping bag of frosting and began wringing her hands together in her lap. "No sense in lying to you then."</p><p>Elara followed her motion, but left her hands on the table top. "I would know if you were."</p><p>"It's just… Elara, you have to understand. It's… It's <em>difficult</em> to have a Malfoy in the house. Someone who is marked and… And I know that you were marked against your will, and that accepting it was a matter of life or death to you, but… My entire family is at risk. Harry and Hermione too…I lost my brothers in the first war due to all this purist belief nonsense… And I can't help but feel as if, well…" She sighed, pursing her lips and clearly not wanting to voice it out loud. "I feel as if the risk of keeping you here far outweighs the reward."</p><p>Elara listened to her, chewing over her words. She wasn't wrong for being worried for her family's wellbeing. If Elara could understand anything, it was the want to protect your family at all costs.</p><p>"I'm a fugitive." Elara whispered. "If I'm captured, they'll use me up. Or better yet, kill me when I refuse. And that's only if they're being kind. I know my family has caused… <em>heartache</em> for you and your family and the Order."</p><p>Mrs. Weasley snorted. "That's an understatement."</p><p>Elara chuckled. "Perhaps. But, Mrs. Weasley, I am so grateful that you are allowing me to stay here. To be protected under your watch. I'd like you to understand that I know my family has done absolutely horrendous things. I know my father went out of his way to treat your husband like dirt beneath his shoes. But I do not follow those beliefs."</p><p>"What beliefs do you follow?" She asked.</p><p>"That every person who practices magic has a right to do so. Regardless of their lineage. I don't fault you for being apprehensive of my being here, in fact, I think it'd be odd if you weren't." She sighed, looking down at her hands as they tapped against the worn wood of the old table. "But my brother and I… We weren't given a lot of good choices. Harry, Ron and Hermione are really the only reasons I realized I had a better choice. You should be proud of the family you've raised."</p><p>When she looked up, Mrs. Weasley was smiling softly at her, dabbing the corner of her eyes. "Elara, you're wise for your age."</p><p>She chuckled. "Being able to feel everyone else's emotions will do that to you."</p><p>She shook her head. "It's more than that, though. You have fight in you. There is light amongst the darkness that has sullied you, I can see it. Everyone can. We haven't been treating you very fairly, and I'm sorry for that."</p><p>Elara smiled at her. "I appreciate your apology, Mrs. Weasley, but really you don't need to apologize."</p><p>Mrs. Weasley stood and rounded the table, leaning in to give Elara a startlingly tight hug. After a moment, Elara returned the embrace.</p><p>"Harry is lucky to have you in his corner, we all are." She said, her voice muffled by Elara's head.</p><p>Elara felt her throat constrict, tears welling up in her eyes as she squeezed the woman. They held each other far longer than either of them cared to admit, both crying as the weight of everything in the last several months was felt between them.</p><p>"Merlin, Mum! I thought you brought Ellie in here to decorate cakes! Not cry all over the table!"</p><p>Mrs. Weasley pulled away from Elara, lightly patting the side of her face before turning on Fred, who was standing in the doorway.</p><p>"Those chairs had better be properly patched up!" She warned, wagging a finger at him.</p><p>"They are! Hermione just went up to use the loo and I came in to get something to drink! I didn't realize I was interrupting a bonding moment!" He defended.</p><p>"Oh, Fred!" She lightly slapped the back of her hand across his chest.</p><p>Elara did not miss the wink before at her before he spoke. "Mum, you'd think after twenty years, you'd be able to tell us apart! I'm George!"</p><p>Mrs. Weasley set her jaw in irritation with her son. "Well George, you had better make sure those chairs are patched!"</p><p>"I'm only kidding, I'm Fred!" He said, laughing.</p><p>Mrs. Weasley threw her hands up in frustration and shook her head. "I don't know where I went wrong!" She muttered under her breath as she walked through the doorway, no doubt to check the furniture.</p><p>Fred was still chuckling to himself as he sat at the table, taking a sip of water from the glass in his hands.</p><p>"You'd think with George missing an ear now, she'd realize… But it gets her every time."</p><p>"That's mean, Fred. Cut your mum some slack! She's going through a lot right now." Elara said, biting back the smirk threatening to creep over her lips.</p><p>"She's always going through a lot! She's got seven kids!" He laughed. "Anyway, you have a good chat, then?"</p><p>She nodded. "Yes, actually."</p><p>"Good." He said, reaching over to pat her hand. "Told you mum would come around. Now if only she'd calm down a bit! Driving everyone mad with the way she's throwing orders about!"</p><p>She chuckled and shook her head. "Only a few more days until the wedding. I imagine she'll calm down after."</p><p>"Thank Merlin for small favors!" Fred laughed again, raising his glass in the air to her before taking a swig.</p><hr/><p>Dinner that night had been tense. With the arrival of the Delacours the day after next, Mrs. Weasley was adamant everyone picked up extra chores in the morning. When met with a chorus of groans, Mr. Weasley had to step in and chastise most of the Weasley children into doing what their mother said.</p><p>Once dinner was over and they had cleaned up, Mrs. Weasley had again turned to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Elara and began questioning them about returning to school. When Harry very bluntly told Mrs. Weasley they would not be returning to Hogwarts, she was incensed. Arguing with Harry and Ron about the stupidity of their plan not to return.</p><p>Hermione and Ginny made their exit to the bedroom when Mrs. Weasley stormed out and Elara excused herself to sit in the garden for a bit to have a few moments to herself.</p><p>It was difficult to be surrounded by so many people all the time. Even more so when everyone's emotions were high strung. She took a walk through the grass, discovering a small pond behind a long forgotten shed and sat at the edge of it, watching the water ripple beneath the breeze.</p><p>She wondered how Draco was doing.</p><p>She hadn't really taken much time to think about him since returning to the Burrow after collecting Harry from Surrey. In fact, she hadn't much time to really process much of anything since returning from that night, they had all been so busy.</p><p>Her mind floated back to the fear in Draco's eyes, the shaking in his voice when he begged her to go. She hoped that when she shoved him from his broom, he hadn't taken too much damage. Although, the tightening of her stomach told her that it was probably the least of his worries. She sighed and absentmindedly traced her fingers on the inside of her left forearm.</p><p>Her chest sank as she thought more on that night. Mad Eye had died. And while she hadn't known the man but a few days, and he wasn't kind, he was practical and resourceful and she respected him for that. She idly wondered what would come of the modest home he had, who would take care of the place? Did he have a family? Children, perhaps? She sighed, closing her eyes as her chest ached again. Her own feelings of sorrow and worry swirling in the cavern behind her sternum. She wondered how much loss a person could take before they broke completely.</p><p>She had broken though, a bit, that night. She thought back on her encounter with Voldemort and the sheer rage she felt when he gripped her face. She still had the rough, scabbed skin under her jaw from where his claw-like nails punctured her skin. She had felt something swirling in her that she had never felt before when she grabbed his wrist and stared into his eyes. The burning wrath that she pushed low into her belly every time she thought of him had unleashed, swirling through her mind and pulsing into her veins like blood.</p><p>She looked down at her arm, feeling the twisting of the mark as it burned inside her skin as it always did. She pulled her wand from the waistband of her shorts and muttered <em>"Diffindo"</em>, taking in a slow breath as the spell cut through her flesh. She watched as the blood began to seep against her skin, collecting in a crimson pool before trickling down her arm.</p><p>She could feel it leaving her, the dark pull of fury she always felt twisting beneath her skin. The evil held within the Mark, within her magic, slowly seeping with every slice she made. She could see the faint shimmer of the blood as it left her, dripping into the grass and mixing with the dirt beneath.</p><p>She startled when she felt the hand on her shoulder and looked up, Harry's face pulled into concern as he looked down at her bleeding arm.</p><p>"This is the second time you've been out here bleeding since I got here." He said, his voice low. "Are you all right?"</p><p>She nodded, hastily muttering a healing and cleaning charm and trying to offer a small smile. He didn't look convinced.</p><p>"It's nothing, Harry." She said. "I swear."</p><p>"I watched you." He said. "I saw you do it to yourself."</p><p>She shifted, folding her legs in front of her and sighing. He had seen it; she couldn't very well deny what she was doing. Not that it would make it any less barmy to tell him. "It's called blood-letting." She whispered.</p><p>He furrowed his brow, looking down at her. Finally, he sat next to her and took her left arm in his hands, running his fingers lightly over it. "I know what blood-letting is." He said. "Why are you doing it?"</p><p>"To bleed the Mark out." She mumbled.</p><p>"You think that will work?"</p><p>She nodded slowly. "I think it could."</p><p>"Ellie, if you're hurting yourself to-</p><p>"I'm not suicidal, Harry." She grumbled, taking her arm back form his hands and placing it her lap. "Well, maybe I am. Running off with you lot probably solidifies some sort of death wish."</p><p>Harry snorted a laugh. "That may be true."</p><p>She sighed, leaning into his shoulder and placing her head on it. "I just… I need it off of me. I can feel it, all the time. It's always <em>moving</em> and burning and…"</p><p>"I get what you mean." Harry said, his hand reaching up to touch his scar. "Just promise me you won't go too far? You won't hurt yourself."</p><p>"I won't." She promised.</p><p>He nodded and leaned his head atop hers. They sat in companionable silence for a long time, staring at the water in the pond as it splashed against the shore, licking the rocks with the threat of taking them under as well.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 10: Acceptance and Grief</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>All We Do by Oh Wonder</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Friends With Feelings by Alice Skye</em>
</p><hr/><p>"There." Elara said, taking a step back and tilting her head from side to side.</p><p>She paced around George's side, looking at the strange hole in his head trying to make sure it looked clean and neat. She had been helping Mrs. Weasley with the healing of it, insisting that she wanted to learn new healing charms to pursue a career in healing.</p><p>Truthfully, she wasn't sure if she'd ever want to be a healer. But she knew the charms would be useful once they left the Burrow and books on healing weren't something Hermione carried in her normal library. There were a few, which Elara had studied already, but it was all basic stuff she mostly already knew.</p><p>"It's certainly not 'good as new'…" Elara said, pushing the ginger locks from the side of George's face to get a better look at her work. "But it's better than it was, at any rate. I'm sorry we couldn't regrow it."</p><p>George shrugged. "Ah, what's an ear anyway?! I can still hear from that side, for the most part!"</p><p>"You know, there was a muggle artist that cut his own ear off. Gave it to a prostitute as a token of affection." Elara stated, matter of fact.</p><p>George's eyes grew wide. "Why on earth would you know that?"</p><p>She shrugged. "I like muggles. He was mad, of course. Suffered terribly for many years because of it. But his paintings are heralded as some of the best work in muggle art."</p><p>"I should go find my ear." George laughed. "Send it to Angelina, she'd get a right laugh out of that."</p><p>Elara grimaced and shook her head. "Forget I said anything. He was mad, remember?"</p><p>George laughed. "Ah, we're all a bit mad sometimes!" He stood and looked in the mirror, inspecting Elara's handiwork and turned to smile over his shoulder at her. "It looks good enough for me, Ellie! Thanks!"</p><p>"You're welcome!"</p><p>Things with George had been tense since her arrival at the Burrow. While Fred had come around fairly quickly, spending time with her and trying to make her feel included, George had been rather quiet. He had seemed suspicious of her, most of the time. Fred had talked to him several times over about it, but she had deduced that George would come around on his own terms. She wasn't going to force a friendship. She only wanted him to know that she wasn't a threat. They didn't have to be friends simply because she was friends with Fred. Being a twin herself, she was very familiar with a person's inability to separate their feelings between the twins. Often, she had found herself in the same circles as Draco, even if she didn't want to be.</p><p>Pansy was prime example of that. Not that she didn't like Pansy, she did. But Pansy had always held her nose in the air, gossiping about anything she felt beneath her. She was always under the impression that only reason Pansy tried to maintain any type of friendship with Elara was because she was Draco's twin and she felt obligated. They had next to nothing in common.</p><p>"I suppose I should get down to breakfast before it gets too crowded." Elara said, giving one last smile to George before heading for the door.</p><p>"Wait… Ellie..." He said, grasping her wrist before she could step out.</p><p>She turned back to him, an eyebrow arched. "Yes?"</p><p>He sighed. "Look, I know I haven't been very fair to you… Freddy has made sure to let me know."</p><p>Elara chuckled. "You haven't been rude."</p><p>"No, but I haven't been kind either." He said. "I've gone out of my way to not talk to you, and that isn't right. After everything that's happened… You've even talked to mum now! Fixed up my ear… I just…" He trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand and sighing. "I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm sorry for being a git."</p><p>She laughed and he looked at her, his forehead creased as his eyebrows came together in confusion. "George, you have nothing to apologize for. I knew when I came here it would take time. I never expected anyone to like me overnight. Or at all, really. I know it's hard… Given who my family is…"</p><p>"Right but, it still isn't fair. You're not one of them, no matter what that mark on your arm says. And I know that."</p><p>She could feel the remorse of the way he had ignored her wash over her. She truly was shocked. He had no reason to feel so guilty, to be upset with himself. He hadn't been outright rude to her at all. He just hadn't made an effort to get close to her. And she had been okay with that. She had been taught long ago that not everyone was going to like her.</p><p>"I appreciate it, George." She finally said. "But you really have nothing to apologize for. Honestly, you and Fred have been making that potion for me! That's enough to show me that you aren't a rude git."</p><p>"Speaking of which…" George said, finally dropping her hand and turning to walk across the room. He opened up a small trunk and she could hear the clinking of bottles before he turned back and handed her one. "I tinkered with it a bit more. It'll last longer now and it's a bit stronger. I also put a touch of a calming draught to it, Freddy mentioned you've been feeling anxious a lot lately."</p><p>She accepted the bottle and smiled. "Thank you."</p><p>He nodded and she took that as her leave. She truly hadn't expected that everyone would want to be friendly to her, she would be naïve to think that. But it was certainly nice to not feel the bit of hatred burning in the back of everyone's mind anymore.</p><hr/><p>Harry sat back on his knees and pulled the gloves he was wearing off. He wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand and grabbed the canteen of water he had brought out with him. It had been a rather exhausting and annoying few days. He didn't mind the busy work, really. He was just irritated that Mrs. Weasley was going out of her way to make sure that Ron, Hermione, and Elara were all split up from him and working on other tasks at opposite ends of the property.</p><p>Elara had chuckled at him this morning while they had breakfast. She explained that Mrs. Weasley is probably just worried, but he had enough worry for a lifetime. He didn't <em>want</em> them to come with him, not truly. He knew that by his two best friends and his girlfriend coming with him, he was putting their lives at risk.</p><p>"<em>Our lives are going to be at risk whether or not we're with you, mate. Better to get that sorted out now, yeah?"</em> Ron had said to him last night.</p><p>"All right, Harry?" Fred asked, patting down the dirt around the shrubs he had just replanted.</p><p>"Yeah." Harry said.</p><p>"It's hot today." Fred stated, also removing his gloves. "Mum's got us out here frying in the sun! Does she not know I'm ginger?! I'll burn to a crisp soon!"</p><p>Harry laughed and shook his head, taking another sip of water. "Surprised she's got me out here today with you, instead of Ellie."</p><p>"Yeah well, Ellie likes helping in the kitchen, doesn't she? Mum's been keeping her busy there it seems."</p><p>Harry nodded. "That she does."</p><p>Silence fell over them and Harry shifted his weight to his backside, crossing his legs in front of him and pressing his elbows into his thighs as he took a few minutes to rest. It really was quite hot, and the sun had now moved to the west, beating down on their backs as they weeded the area out and replaced the Gnome-bitten shrubs.</p><p>"You know," Fred began, taking the moment to break as well. "You seem to be quite taken with Ellie."</p><p>The comment surprised Harry. It was obvious that he and Ellie were together, she had even told them that she cared for him, that she loved him while under <em>Veritaserum</em>. But for Fred of all people to bring it up… Harry suddenly got the feeling he was being talked to. A strange twist landed in his gut.</p><p>"I am." Harry agreed. "I love her."</p><p>Fred nodded. "I know. So, does everyone else."</p><p>"Okay." Harry said, his brows pulling knitting in confusion as he looked at Fred. "I'm sorry, Fred. But I don't understand…"</p><p>"I expect you, Ron, and Hermione to run off and do whatever it is you're going to do. We've all known it was coming. And the three of you are thick as thieves, it's only expected that you all go together. But…"</p><p>"But?"</p><p>"Is Ellie going with you to do whatever it is you're doing?" Fred asked.</p><p>"What are you on about?" Harry asked in return.</p><p>Fred sighed. "It's just… I don't know, mate. Ever since she got here, we've made friends. And I know you lot are always going to do something barmy, but I just want her to know what she's signing up for."</p><p>"I haven't forced her to do anything." Harry said, feeling a bit offended. "I'm not sure what you think-</p><p>Fred held up a hand to stop his sentence. "I'm not trying to make you angry, Harry. Really, I just… She's sort of become like another little sister to me or something. I don't know. I guess… What I mean is… Ron and Hermione, well, they've seen it all with you. This is all still <em>new</em> for her. You know?"</p><p>Harry sighed. "Yeah, I know." He said. "I've thought about it. But you talk to her, you know how she is. She won't take no for an answer. No matter how many times I try and tell her not to come with us."</p><p>Fred chuckled. "Yeah, I can't imagine she would." He sighed. "Listen mate, I've offered her a room at the flat. There will always be space for her with us. Just make sure she knows that, yeah?"</p><p>Harry nodded. "Yeah, I will."</p><p>Fred gave one quick nod before standing up and clapping his hands together. "I think we're about done here. Mum should have lunch ready soon anyway." With that, he grabbed the few items he had brought with him and headed toward the back door of the house.</p><p>Harry stared at the shrub he had been replanting for several long minutes wondering what in the <em>hell</em> had just happened. Fred was the last person Harry would ever expect to approach him with a conversation as serious as it was about Ellie. He knew they had become rather close in the short amount of time Ellie had been at the Burrow, and he had expected the pushback he had been receiving from Mrs. Weasley and the others alike… But from Fred?</p><p>He sighed, scrubbing his hands over his face and shaking his head. He knew Elara was magnetic. She had the type of personality that just drew people in and held them there. Unforgiving in the blinding rays of her compassion and appeal. It had taken him six short weeks of being away from her, away from everyone, to know exactly how he felt about her. And since he'd figured it out, he never wanted to let her our of his sight again.</p><p>But then, there was the risk. The risk of her coming with them. She was already wanted, an extremely hefty price tag on her head for capture. Surely, Death Eaters would be searching every nook and cranny to find her and bring her in. He doubted the Malfoy's would stop at anything to make sure their daughter was brought back to them.</p><p>Maybe Draco would stop them. The wanker <em>had</em> insisted she disapparate from the group when he saw her when they came to get him from the Dursley's. Maybe he did want his sister to survive this war on the right side. But then, what would happen when September came and Ellie didn't go back to Hogwarts? Would Draco return as well? Harry doubted it.</p><p>"Did that shrub do you a personal disservice?"</p><p>Harry jumped, his hand clutching at his chest as he was torn from his thoughts. He looked up and saw Ellie biting back a laugh, a glass of iced lemonade in her hand.</p><p>"You startled me!" Harry said, rising to his feet.</p><p>She handed him the glass. "I thought you could use a cold drink. It's very hot out today." She said, covering her brow with her hand to shield her vision and looked out to the fields.</p><p>"It is." Harry agreed, gulping down the lemonade. "This is good, thank you."</p><p>"You're welcome." She smiled, stepping toward him. She chuckled as she reached out to his face. "You've got dirt on your face."</p><p>He smiled sheepishly at her, hastily wiping at his face with his hands.</p><p>"That made it worse." She laughed again, pulling out her wand and casting a quick <em>Scourgify</em>. "There."</p><p>She stood up on her tip-toes and pressed her lips against his and Harry nearly sighed into them. He wasn't sure if he would ever get used to her. If he could ever get used to the feeling of her lips against his and how it stole the breath from his lungs every <em>single</em> time.</p><p>"Mrs. Weasley sent me out to collect you. Lunch is almost ready." She whispered into his lips.</p><p>He smiled, leaning forward to capture them once more. "I'm famished." He admitted.</p><p>She pulled away from him and pushed her long blonde hair over her shoulders. "George made me a stronger potion." She said, taking his hand in hers and swinging it between them as they walked. "Gave it to me this morning."</p><p>"Is it working?" Harry asked.</p><p>"Almost too well." She sighed. "I can't feel anyone but my own, now."</p><p>"That's a good thing, though, isn't it?"</p><p>She shrugged. "I suppose. Although, I already miss feeling you."</p><p>"Oh?" Harry said, looking at her from the side of his eye. He was glad he was flushed from the heat already, because he was sure his cheeks had deepened in color.</p><p>"Mhm." She said. "You have a very specific emotional signature that I quite enjoy."</p><p>"Emotional signature, eh?"</p><p>She nodded, pulling him off the path back to the house and backing her body against the siding. She looked down at Harry's hand and smirked as she vanished the glass of lemonade and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling her into him.</p><p>"Perhaps… Perhaps you could show it to me in a different way?" She asked, her voice sugary sweet.</p><p>Harry arched an eyebrow and looked around his shoulders before leaning in and pressing his lips to hers. He made the mental note to thank George later.</p><hr/><p>Elara looked up from her pillow as she heard Ginny and Hermione whispering quietly. She could hear the rustling of paper and a few curse words slip from Ginny.</p><p>"I appreciate you trying to be quiet, but I'm awake." Elara said, sitting up and rubbing her eyes.</p><p>"Good, you can go wake Harry then while we finish wrapping his gifts!" Ginny said.</p><p>"I feel awful that I haven't gotten him anything." Ellie sighed.</p><p>"Don't." Hermione said. "Chances are he's going to protest to the things he's already going to get."</p><p>"Besides, I'm sure you can find a way to make it up to him." Ginny said, waggling her eyebrows and suppressing a smirk.</p><p>"For Salazar's Sake, Ginny!" Elara laughed, lightly slapping her across the arm. "What have you gotten him then?"</p><p>"A new pair of quidditch gloves." She said.</p><p>"Ginny you know we aren't-</p><p>"I know." She said, looking sad. "But I had already gotten them before I knew you weren't going back this year."</p><p>"He'll love them either way, I'm sure." Hermione smiled.</p><p>"He needs a new pair." Elara agreed. "Last I saw his, they were nearly destroyed."</p><p>Ginny smiled. "Go on then! Go wake him! I already heard Ron come down the stairs so you should have a few moments privacy."</p><p>Elara chuckled and pulled a thin robe over her cotton shorts and tank top that she had slept in. She stopped in the bathroom on her way up to the room Ron and Harry shared to brush her teeth and then padded up the stairs. She knocked lightly and waited a moment.</p><p>
  <em>Panic. Fear. Confusion.</em>
</p><p>Her brows knit together in concern. Harry was definitely the only person past that door, she couldn't feel anyone else's emotions beyond his. She quickly pushed open the door and saw Harry lying in bed, his eyes shut tightly as he mumbled and thrashed around in the bed.</p><p>She sighed and bit her lip, walking over to the bed she gently perched on the edge and lightly shook his shoulder. "Harry." She said quietly, not wanting to startle him from a nightmare.</p><p>He mumbled again, a name? She wasn't sure, at least, it didn't sound familiar. She shook him a bit harder this time. "Harry." She said, a little more conviction to her voice. "Harry, wake up. You're having a nightmare, love."</p><p>His eyes snapped open and he clutched at his forehead, pressing his fingers against the lightening bolt scar and then blinked furiously a few times.</p><p>"He's travelling." He said, panic in his voice. "I don't know where, but he's looking for someone."</p><p>"What are you talking about?" She asked, pushing the hair from his face. "Harry, who is travelling?"</p><p>"Voldemort."</p><p>Her hand stilled as she looked at him, her eyes narrowing. "What are you talking about?"</p><p>"I saw it." He said. "I saw where he was but… I don't <em>know</em> where that is. Definitely abroad. I don't think he's here in England at all and I-</p><p>"Harry." She interrupted, grabbing his hand and pulling it from his forehead. "Harry, what are you talking about? Why are you seeing…?"</p><p>"You knew I took Occlumency lessons." He stated, sitting up a bit on his camp bed.</p><p>"Yes." She agreed. "I know. From Snape, right?"</p><p>He nodded. "Yeah. Well, this is why."</p><p>"You… You have a connection with him?"</p><p>"I <em>told</em> you that I did." He said, sounding irritated.</p><p>"Yes, but I… I guess I didn't assume you meant <em>literally</em>. I thought you just meant… With everything that happened and… I don't know…"</p><p>"I literally have a connection." He said. "I know how to block it out, now. But I can't always… Sometimes it comes while I'm sleeping."</p><p>She bit the inside of her cheek, contemplating the information. "I understand." She said.</p><p>"You do?"</p><p>She nodded. "You know he's been in my head, too. I guess when you said you knew what that was like… I thought you meant it figuratively. Like when someone is trying to comfort you and tell you they understand. I didn't realize…"</p><p>"You thought I was lying to try and make you feel better?" He asked, his tone incredulous.</p><p>She huffed a breath out. "Can we start over, please?"</p><p>He jammed his hand through his hair and took a deep breath. "Yeah. Yes. Sorry."</p><p>She shook her head at his apology. "Don't be." She leaned over him, pressing her lips lightly to his. "I came in to wake you and to tell you Happy Birthday."</p><p>He smiled into her lips. "That's right!" He said, his eyes sparkling as he beamed. He grabbed his wand. "<em>Accio </em>glasses!"</p><p>Elara nearly fell over in a fit of laughter as his glasses zoomed off the night stand and poked him in the eye as they tried to settle on his nose. He grunted and rubbed at the eye, and joined in on her laughter for a moment before circling his arms around her waist and pulling him to her.</p><p>"Breakfast should be ready soon." She said.</p><p>"I'm not particularly hungry for food right now." Harry said, a very mischievous smirk pulling at his lips.</p><p>"No?" She said. "Not even for a proper full English."</p><p>He shook his head. "No. I was thinking more of a… Proper witch type of breakfast this morning…"</p><p>"A proper witch?" She said, tapping her forefinger against her chin and looking up. "Hm... I'm not sure I know of any. Perhaps McGonagall could help you?"</p><p>His face pulled back in disgust and she laughed, leaning into him and pressing her lips to his. She sighed as he deepened the kiss, pushing past her lips and roaming her mouth. She felt him grab her thighs and she soon was sat atop him, straddling his hips as she hunched over, kissing him thoroughly. He pushed his hands under the thin cotton tank top she was wearing and began to caress her breasts. As her hands began to roam his chest and peel his shirt from his torso, she heard a sputtered cough at the door.</p><p>"Shit. Sorry. I didn't mean to walk in on you…"</p><p>Elara pulled up for air, knowing that if she moved off of Harry's hips it would put him in a very embarrassing situation.</p><p>"Ron!" Harry said, grabbing the nearest thing he could reach—a pillow, and throwing it at him. "Get out!"</p><p>"Sorry! Mum told me to come get you for breakfast! They've got gifts for you!" Ron said, covering his eyes as his face turned beet red.</p><p>"We'll be down in a minute, Ron." Elara said, laughing. "Thank you!"</p><p>Ron turned around and hurried from the room, slamming the door closed behind him.</p><p>"Fucking Ron!" Harry grumbled.</p><p>"Language." Elara scolded playfully.</p><p>Harry rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to say something when she rolled her hips against his, grinding against him with a smirk on her face.</p><p>Harry groaned, his head falling back to the pillow. "You want me to watch my language and then you do <em>that</em>?" He bit his lip, stifling another groan as she rocked against him again.</p><p>She bent over, her hair creating a curtain around their faces as she kissed him. "Yes." She said, pulling away and getting off the bed. "I want you choose better words."</p><p>"Evil witch." He grumbled, looking at her with narrowed eyes.</p><p>She stifled a laugh and grabbed his hand, pulling him from the bed. "You'd better get down there before Mrs. Weasley comes up here as reinforcement."</p><p>Harry stared at her for a moment and shuddered. "That would not be great."</p><p>Elara went back to the room she shared with Ginny and Hermione and quickly changed into a pair of shorts and one of Harry's old tee shirts. She slipped her feet into her trainers and quickly braided the top of her hair back, pulling the rest of it into a bun on the crown of her head.</p><p>She hurried down the stairs and smiled at the pile of gifts on the table in front of Harry. She knew he didn't want anything; he was probably the least materialistic person she'd ever known. But she was still glad to see everyone had pitched in the effort to make him feel special on his birthday. He deserved it.</p><p>"Where's your gift then?" Ron asked, looking at Elara as Harry jumped up from the table to wrap Mrs. Weasley in a tight hug after gifting him a watch.</p><p>"You interrupted it." She said, a smirk pulling at her lips.</p><p>Ron's ears turned bright red as Hermione and Ginny both stifled a laugh.</p><p>"Oh, Ellie! I picked something up for you as well when George and I went to the shop yesterday!" Fred said, walking to the ice box and pulling out a bottle. "Had to go to a Muggle market to get it because the Market in Diagon Alley has been closed…"</p><p>Elara smiled brightly, her heart swelling at the gesture. "You didn't have to get anything for me!"</p><p>"It's just some juice." Fred chuckled. "Nothing to be excited about!"</p><p>"She <em>really</em> likes this juice though." Harry teased, smiling at her as he tore into another package.</p><p>"I do." She agreed. "Thank you, Fred!"</p><p>She stood and gave him a hug, happy to have a friend who cared about something as trivial as her beverage preferences.</p><p>"Don't thank me! I may have gone to the market to get it, but it was George's idea."</p><p>She turned to George and hugged him as well. "Thank you! You really didn't have to, but I appreciate it so much!"</p><p>"Wanted to repay you for fixing up my ear!" He smiled, returning her embrace.</p><p>Elara sat back down and began eating her breakfast. As she looked around the extremely crowded kitchen full of laughing and smiling faces, she felt her heart give a slight tug. She wondered how she had gotten so lucky to be accepted into this group, to be a part of their lives in a better way than she was only two short weeks ago.</p><p>And then she felt the twist of guilt knot in her stomach.</p><p>She was here, smiling and laughing with Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys. She was working in the garden and putting frosting on cakes and helping to prepare the grounds for a wedding. She was <em>celebrating</em> love and life and happiness. She was surrounded by friends and Harry—Who made sure to make her feel loved, to feel wanted.</p><p>Draco was probably in a very different situation right now. She wondered what breakfasts were like at the Manor now. Wondered if he'd smiled or laughed since being home. Wondered if their mother was safe and of sound mind or if she was still drinking her calming droughts laced with pixie dust and calling it a night cap. She wondered if her father had been involved in any of the missing persons' cases that seemed to be on every copy of the Daily Prophet. Or if he, too, were being harmed.</p><p>"All right, El?" Harry asked, looking at her with concern.</p><p>She took a deep breath and sipped at the cranberry juice Fred and George had brought her. "I'm okay." She said, giving a smile that she hoped was reassuring.</p><p>Harry didn't look convinced, but he didn't further question it. Instead, he turned back to the group and thanked them all for his gifts, repeating again that he didn't want to make a big deal of it and he was appreciative of everything.</p><p>"I'm going to step outside for a bit and get some air." Elara whispered to Hermione while Harry was talking with Monsieur Delacour.</p><p>Hermione nodded, her brows coming together. Elara stood and made her exit, trying to draw as little attention to herself as possible.</p><p><em>This is getting ridiculous.</em> She thought as she walked through the path of the back garden, making her way to the copse of trees on the west end of the pond.</p><p>Her stomach knotted again, twisting into her chest and pulling the air from her lungs. It was <em>hard</em>. The first two weeks at Hermione's had been the worst of it. The worry, the fear, the crushing guilt of being safe while not knowing if her family was. But it had gotten easier. It had lessened the longer she spent away from them. The more she thought on the event that had unfolded over the last year and how she had <em>tried</em>. She had tried so hard in so many different ways to convince Draco to leave with her. To try and get him out, at least. Of course, she would have loved to get her mother out too. Even Father, if she could figure it out… But Draco was <em>innocent</em>. He hadn't hurt anyone.</p><p><em>That's not true</em>. The voice in the back of her head that sounded suspiciously like Blaise reminded her. <em>He let them in the castle, even after you gave him other options. He made his decision.</em></p><p>She groaned. He may have made the decision to continue with the task. That was true. But he was afraid for mum and dad! He was terrified of the thought of leaving mum alone. He had made her promise that if he died trying to complete the task, that she would get mum out!</p><p>She sank to the ground under one of the sweet-smelling apple trees and leaned her back against the trunk, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. She stared over the distance, looking out at the lake.</p><p>"Are you all right?"</p><p>She looked up, Hermione looking down at her with concern. She nodded. "I'll be fine."</p><p>Hermione snorted and sat next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "That's not very convincing. This about your family?" She asked, knowingly.</p><p>Elara nodded. "I thought I would be okay with it by now, that I wouldn't still get so upset. I don't even know why I'm upset, really."</p><p>"I can't stop thinking about my parents." Hermione admitted. "Everything I do reminds me of them. The other day I was folding linens with Ginny and Bill and nearly had a break down."</p><p>"Oh, Hermione, I'm so sorry. I've been a rubbish friend." Elara said, turning a bit to hug her. "I haven't even asked how you've been!"</p><p>Hermione smiled at her. "It's okay. There's been a lot going on. I've been okay for the most part, really. Some days are just harder than others. I think you understand that better than anyone else here."</p><p>Elara nodded. "It's frustrating sometimes." She sighed. "Like it just comes out of nowhere."</p><p>Hermione shrugged one shoulder. "That's the way grief works, I suppose. It doesn't really have a pattern."</p><p>"Grief?" Elara asked, confused. "But they aren't-</p><p>"They don't have to be dead for you to grieve them, Ellie." Hermione said. "You're grieving what you lost. What you thought your life would be like. You can't honestly tell me that this time last summer you thought you'd be where you are now."</p><p>Elara snorted. "Certainly not."</p><p>"Exactly." Hermione said. "I've had a little more warning than you did. I've always known if it came down to it, I would send my parents away. I miss them, and I worry. But I know I made the right choice. Do you think you did?"</p><p>Elara's eyes met Hermione's. Her friend was fierce and sure of her decision, even in her heartache. Slowly, Elara nodded. "Yes. I think I chose right."</p><p>"Making the right choice isn't always easy." Hermione said. "Sometimes you have to compromise. You compromised. You chose to stand for what you believe in. You gave Draco an out and when he refused, you said no more. That's powerful, Ellie."</p><p>"It doesn't feel powerful. It feels cowardly. I chose to save my own skin over saving my family."</p><p>"You'd be no good to them dead." Hermione said, her tone hard and her eyes determined. "Sometimes saving your own skin is the best decision you can make."</p><p>"How very Slytherin of you, Hermione." Elara chuckled.</p><p>"Bravery comes in different forms." She replied, a sly smile on her face. She stood up and held her hands out to Elara. "Come on now, up! We have a party to prepare for."</p><p>They walked back toward the Burrow with their arms linked together, leaning against one another and chatting about nonsense. Elara felt grateful once more, for the friends she had made. As her heart swelled when she saw Harry walking toward them from the back door, she knew the choice she made was right. No matter how much grief she felt about it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 11: A Snitch, a Deluminator, and a Children's Book.</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Charlie Boy by The Lumineers</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Heavy by Birdtalker</em>
</p><hr/><p>Elara smiled as she looked around the garden, admiring the handiwork of Ginny, Hermione, and herself. They had decorated the area with vivid streamers and banners in celebration of Harry turning seventeen. Fred and George had set up long tables and Fleur and Bill were currently setting the table with napkins and silverware.</p><p>Harry had been adamant that Mrs. Weasley not make a fuss, but of course his pleas fell upon deaf ears as Mrs. Weasley spent the afternoon baking a cake and putting together enough food for a small army. Although, Elara thought it was probably needed. The amount of people in the house on a normal day was a lot to feed, but with many others coming to celebrate Harry's coming of age, it was nearly doubled.</p><p>With Bill and Fleur's wedding the following day, Charlie had come from Romania to stay a few days. Tonks and Lupin had come, as had Hagrid. A few others were expected to show eventually and Elara again, felt thankful that George had made her a stronger potion.</p><p>"The ribbons look nice." Harry said, appearing at her side and smiling.</p><p>"They do, don't they? That was Hermione's idea." Elara said, returning his smile.</p><p>Harry leaned in and placed a quick peck on her lips. "You all really shouldn't have-</p><p>"Shush!" Elara said. "You're seventeen. Let us be excited about it."</p><p>He laughed. "You didn't let anyone do anything for you."</p><p>She pursed her lips. "Well, my birthday ended up being a much different day." She said, a pang of sadness running through her. "Let me celebrate vicariously through you."</p><p>"Sorry." Harry said. "I shouldn't have brought it up…"</p><p>She waved off his apology, pasting another bright smile to her face. "Let's go talk to-</p><p>"Out of the way!" Mrs. Weasley called, hovering a large round cake in front of her. Harry's face lit up at the enormous snitch cake Mrs. Weasley had made.</p><p>"That's amazing, Mrs. Weasley!" He said.</p><p>"Oh, it's nothing dear." She replied, a pleased smile tugging at her lips.</p><p>They began to wander around the garden, talking with the others and trying to enjoy the evening. Elara noticed Mrs. Weasley's constant over-the-shoulder looks as they waited for Mr. Weasley to get home. It was getting late, later than normal for Mr. Weasley to be home and Elara knew she was worried.</p><p>"…does it make much of a difference?"</p><p>Elara shook her head, clearing her thoughts as she looked at George and Charlie. "Sorry, what?"</p><p>George chuckled. "I was telling Charlie about the new potion we made for you. He asked if it was an improvement."</p><p>"Oh, yes!" She said, beaming at the brothers. "Immensely. Especially in a setting like this, where there's so many people. It's sometimes-</p><p>As she was about to explain a bit further, a silvery weasel paraded through the garden and stopped in front of Mrs. Weasley. "Minister of Magic is coming with me." It said in Mr. Weasley's voice before disappearing.</p><p>Elara's eyes grew wide as she looked around the garden. Lupin and Tonks had nearly sprinted to the apparition point, hollering a rushed apology to Harry as they jumped over the fence and disappeared with a loud <em>crack</em>. Elara looked for Harry. He was crossing the garden and she gave George and Charlie a quick sorry before rushing toward him.</p><p>"Ellie!" Harry called, running up to her. "Ellie you have to go inside."</p><p>Just as the words left his mouth the <em>crack</em> of apparition was heard and Elara saw Mr. Weasley walking up the path flanked by Rufus Scrimgeour. Panic set into Elara's chest. She was <em>wanted</em>. A price tag on her head and her name printed all over the Daily Prophet. She couldn't be seen here. Surely, the Minister would take her in. And she had no way to get into the house without passing him at this point.</p><p>Suddenly the entire garden went black as night and she felt someone grab her hand.</p><p>"Sorry! Accidentally dropped a bit of darkness powder!" George called out.</p><p>She heard the grumbling from the other attendants and even heard the Minister chuckling about the mishap as she passed just by him and was pulled into the house by Fred.</p><p>"Figured you needed an escape." Fred said.</p><p>"Yeah." She nodded. "Thank you!"</p><p>"Go up to you girls' room and lock the door, yeah? Don't let anyone in until one of us comes to get you. I'll let Harry know." Fred gave her a quick hug before shoving her toward the sitting room to make her way up the stairs.</p><p>She took the steps two at a time as she heard the back door open and voices fill the rooms below. She pulled open the door to the room she shared with Ginny and Hermione and shut it quietly, whispering a few locking charms and taking a seat on the camp bed.</p><p>Her heart was pounding.</p><p>They couldn't have known she was here. They would have come sooner. The Minister himself wouldn't have shown up to collect her, at least she didn't think he would. Unless he was under <em>Imperius</em> but even then, she didn't think that was likely. Mr. Weasley wouldn't allow an <em>Imperiused</em> minister to come to his house, where Harry was at, knowingly.</p><p>But what If he didn't know?</p><p>She got off the bed and crept toward the door, careful to step over the one floorboard that liked to groan under any type of pressure. She pressed her ear to the door and strained, trying to listen to the conversation below.</p><p>"You can speak to all three of us, or none at all." Harry said.</p><p>She couldn't make out the Minister's reply but she assumed he probably wasn't pleased. She knew that Harry hadn't been the most <em>respectful</em> toward the man in the past. She remembered him telling her about the Minister coming to the Burrow over Christmas and how he had tried to recruit Harry to work for the Ministry to please the people. She wrinkled her nose up at the thought, as if Harry would do something so ludicrous.</p><p>"Are you planning on pursuing a career in Magical Law, Miss Granger?" The Minister said, his question loud with annoyance.</p><p>Elara snorted and felt a smirk cross her face. Hermione feared no one, especially not when it came to Harry or Ron. She could just see her down there making the Minister feel like an idiot.</p><p>She heard a few bits and pieces of conversation and really thought it neglectful on the Minister's part to not cast some sort of privacy charm as he spoke to them. But then again, he probably wasn't aware of anyone else being in the house if he had asked to speak to them privately.</p><p>"Well, that was dramatic." She heard Harry quip and she stifled another laugh.</p><p>She focused, trying to push past the dampening of the potion she had taken this morning. It had been nearly twelve hours since taking it, and it was finally beginning to wear off a bit. She closed her eyes, trying to concentrate.</p><p>It was difficult to separate the swirl of emotions in the sitting room, especially without being in the room to really decipher who was feeling what. Suspicion seemed to be the front running emotion though. Probably on all parts.</p><p>She could feel white hot rage weaving through the suspicion and wondered if it was Harry or Scrimgeour. As if to answer the question she heard Scrimgeour shouting "You go too far!" and heard a scuffle of footsteps.</p><p>She unlocked the door and cast a <em>Muffliato</em> on the hinges to keep it from creaking as she slowly opened it, desperate to make sure Harry was okay, that Hermione and Ron were okay. She tiptoed to the landing of the stairs and pressed herself against the wall, crouching low to stay hidden and tried to catch a glimpse of the scene below.</p><p>Harry was at the end of the Minister's wand, Ron pulling in deep angry breaths beside him as Hermione glared just past his head. Her eyes slowly flicked up and met Elara's before dropping back down, her eyebrows twitching a bit.</p><p>"….It's time you learned some respect!" Scrimgeour growled, his face hovering just inches from Harry's.</p><p>Harry glared at the man, a smug look on his face. "It's time you earn it." He spat through clenched teeth.</p><p>Elara stared down, her heart pounding. Was the Minister going to harm him? Harry was unarmed! She knew he had a tendency to be… <em>snarky</em> at times, but she couldn't hardly believe that a seventeen-year old's back talk would be enough to send the Minister of Magic into a fitful rage! Harry's eyes roamed the Minister's face momentarily before moving gaze and landing on Elara.</p><p>She saw his eyes widen a fraction of an inch, but the Minister must have noticed it too. Just as the man went to turn around and Elara scrambled to fall backward behind the wall, the kitchen door banged open, Mr. Weasley's voice calling through the house.</p><p>She hurried back into the room and closed the door, taking a deep breath as she sank back onto the bed. Whatever happened just now was <em>tense</em>. It was fueled with anger and twisted by hate and she didn't understand why the Minister was so furious with Harry.</p><p>Several minutes later, there was a knock at the door. "It's me, Ellie." Harry said.</p><p>"Come on in." She replied, twisting her hands in her lap.</p><p>Harry slowly opened the door and she looked up at him. She noticed first the hole that was singed into his tee shirt when the Minister had pressed his wand to his chest. She next noticed the irritation on his face.</p><p>"Are you okay?" He asked.</p><p>"I'm fine. Are you?"</p><p>He nodded. "He came to give us what Dumbledore left us in his will."</p><p>She looked to him, quizzically. "Dumbledore left you items in his will?"</p><p>He nodded, holding up a small golden ball.</p><p>"Is that a snitch?" She asked.</p><p>He nodded again. "Yeah."</p><p>"Why would he leave you a snitch?"</p><p>"Dunno." Harry said. "We should get back outside though. Mrs. Weasley said she wanted to serve supper still."</p><p>Elara's stomach growled at the notion and Harry chuckled, taking her hand and pulling her from the bed.</p><hr/><p>"<em>Muffliato</em>." Hermione whispered.</p><p>Once everyone had eaten and sang to Harry, they cleaned up and everyone dispersed. Those who were staying for the wedding were socializing in the living room and a few others had already gone back to their homes until tomorrow. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Elara had taken the time to escape up to Ron's room to discuss what had happened with the Minister.</p><p>"So, Dumbledore left all three of you something?" She asked, looking over the items on the floor in front of her. She picked up a small silver tube that looked similar to what Hermione's father had used to light a candle in the house. "What's this?"</p><p>"Deluminator." Harry said.</p><p>She clicked the small knob on the side and all of the lights went out, almost as if they had been sucked form the source and stored into the container. She flicked it again and watched as the little balls of light returned to their lamps.</p><p>"Why would he leave you a Deluminator?"</p><p>Ron shrugged. "No idea."</p><p>She picked up the book next, her fingers carefully tracing the runes on the front. Runes wasn't her strongest subject, but it certainly wasn't her worst. Besides that, the Malfoy library had hundred of old books. Including many first editions of strange old prints. She knew this particular book like the back of her hand and her brows furrowed.</p><p>"Tales of the Beetle and the Bard?" She asked, looking to Hermione. "Why on earth-</p><p>"Again, we don't know." Harry, reminded her.</p><p>"Are we <em>sure</em> it's Beetle and the Bard?" Ron said.</p><p>Elara nodded. "Absolutely. We have a first edition just like this at the Manor. Albeit, it's in far better condition than this one."</p><p>"You know what that book is?" Hermione asked, turning to Ron with an incredulous look on her face.</p><p>"Of course, I do! The Wizard and the Hopping Pot, The Fountain of Fair Fortune, Babbity Rabbity and her Cackling Stump!" Ron said.</p><p>"I always loved Babbity Rabbity!" Elara smiled. "Draco was partial to The Warlock's Hairy Heart though."</p><p>"Babbity Rabbity was my favorite, too!" Ron laughed. "Mum used to-</p><p>"I'm sorry." Hermione interrupted. "<em>What</em> are you talking about? These are children's stories?"</p><p>"Of course, they are! You never read Babbity Rabbity?" Ron asked.</p><p>"Certainly not." Hermione said. "Harry and I grew up with muggles, remember? We had much different children's stories."</p><p>"I suppose that makes sense." Elara said. "Still doesn't explain why he'd leave you a first edition story book though." She set the book back down and picked up the snitch, inspecting it closely. She looked to Harry, an eyebrow arched.</p><p>"No ideas here either, then?" She asked.</p><p>"I have a theory…" Harry smirked, taking the snitch from her. "This is the snitch I caught in my very first game. They have flesh memories, apparently."</p><p>"They do." Elara agreed. "But if there were anything in it, it would have opened when you touched it."</p><p>"Except I didn't catch my first snitch with my hands." Harry said, his smirk growing wider.</p><p>Elara's brows pulled together again. "You've lost me."</p><p>Ron and Hermione seemed to have the same thought at the same time. "You nearly swallowed it!" Ron said.</p><p>Harry nodded, looking between them. He shrugged a shoulder. "Didn't want to give that away to our dear Minister, did I?"</p><p>"Harry!" Hermione laughed. "Oh, that's brilliant!"</p><p>"Well, go on!" Elara urged. "See if it opens!"</p><p>Elara held her breath as Harry pulled the snitch up to his lips, pressing it to his mouth for a long moment before pulling it away and staring at it. She felt the collective sigh of disappointment as it remained closed.</p><p>"I'm sorry, Harry." Elara said, biting her lip. "Maybe it's-</p><p>"Wait! There's writing on it! Look!" Hermione said, pointing to the side of the snitch.</p><p>"I open at the close." Harry read.</p><p>"I open at the close?" Ron said. "What's that mean?"</p><p>Harry shook his head. "I have no idea."</p><p>They all sat on the floor, staring at the items and repeating the words on the snitch over and over until it was almost chanting. Elara held the snitch for quite some time, trying to focus and see if she could feel anything off of it. As she had explained to Harry before, most objects had some sort of emotional energy attached to them. She thought if she could identify it, then perhaps they could figure out the obscure message.</p><p>There was definitely something more to the object than they could see. She could feel a strange mix of things coming off of it, almost encompassing her in a peculiar type of grief she couldn't quite pinpoint. She felt almost as if it were whispering secrets of old magic inside the golden ball and but she couldn't get past the barrier.</p><p>"Anything?" Harry asked.</p><p>She shook her head, finally setting it back down. "Not really, no. I can't get anything solid, anyway."</p><p>They talked a bit more, finalizing a few things for the day after tomorrow. They were planning to leave for Grimmauld Place on the second of August after supper. There was some debate about going there, worry over whether or not Snape would still have access to the property. Ultimately, they decided having coverage would be best. Harry had wanted to go directly after the wedding, but Elara and Hermione thought it may be better to wait until the next evening. Allow them all time to say their goodbyes. As the day crept closer, Elara was regretting this decision.</p><p>It would only make it harder to leave and harder on everyone else once they had gone. She didn't particularly fancy the earful they would get from Mrs. Weasley and she was sure that telling Ginny good bye would be difficult. She also felt her stomach knot up at the thought of telling Fred goodbye. He had become a brother-figure of sorts to her in the short time she had been here. She knew it was very likely she may not see him again for quite some time.</p><hr/><p>Sitting on the floor of the room they shared with Ginny, Hermione and Elara went over the list of items they had in their bags again. Elara's knapsack was a bit larger than the bag Hermione had, but the extension charms didn't hold up quite as well in it. They assumed it had something to do with the Dragon hide material it was made from being nearly impenetrable. There was still a bit of space however, and her bag consisted of a few different books, some packets of seeds for vegetables, most of the clothes she had brought with her to Hermione's, her broom, and a few potions she and Hermione had brewed while staying at her house. She had also decided to ask Fred and George for a large dose of the dampening potion to take with her, she was hoping they would have it for her tomorrow.</p><p>As she began categorizing her bag, she gave it a shake to make sure nothing else was inside. A galleon came tumbling out with a small <em>clink</em> to the ground. Her brows pulled together as she looked at it. She couldn't remember pulling any money from the pouch she usually kept it in… She picked it up and winced, dropping it instantly. It was searing hot.</p><p>"The charmed galleon?" Hermione asked, her eyes going wide.</p><p>"I didn't even realize I still had this!" Elara said. "I thought I'd lost it over Christmas."</p><p>She carefully picked it up, thankful that it began to cool to her touch. She stared at it and soon letters began forming.</p><p>
  <em>I don't know if this will work BZ</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I hope you're okay BZ</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Where are you? BZ</em>
</p><p>
  <em>There are Death Eaters here BZ</em>
</p><p>
  <em>DE watching my house BZ</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Wherever you are, don't come here BZ</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Let me know you're alive BZ</em>
</p><p>
  <em>DE at all of our properties now BZ</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They tortured mum BZ</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I hope you're okay BZ</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Love you, El. BZ</em>
</p><p>With each message, the coin was hot and cooled, over and over until it finally stopped. Tears collected in Elara's eyes as she read the last message.</p><p>"Is it Draco?" Hermione asked.</p><p>She shook her head. "Blaise." Elara said, her voice breaking. "The Death Eaters are watching his house. They t-tortured his mum. He said not to stay away from his properties, they're being watched."</p><p>She took in a slow, shaking breath. Blinking furiously, trying to keep the tears at bay. Of course, they would go to Blaise's house. They've probably searched all of his properties throughout Italy and England, alike. How could she be so <em>stupid</em>? She was close to Blaise for so long, obviously they would think to go there! How could she not set up some sort of protection for him? How could she have let her best friend's safety slip her mind so easily? She had been so caught up in everything—in Harry, in the plan to leave, in worry for her family; she had completely <em>forgot</em> about Blaise.</p><p>"I have to respond." She said, looking up to meet Hermione's gaze.</p><p>"You can't." Hermione said. "You can't respond, Ellie. If someone knows you have a coin-</p><p>"Can they trace it?" She asked. "It's a Protean charm, yeah? I don't think you can connect them."</p><p>"It's too risky." Hermione said, a frown pulling her features down. "Ellie, you can't."</p><p>She sighed, closing her fist around the coin and closing her eyes. She sank her teeth into her bottom lip to keep it from trembling as she nodded. "What do we do with it, then?"</p><p>"Hang on to it." Hermione said. "If we can do some research, we may be able to use it. But I don't think it's safe to send a message until we've done that. It may be untraceable now, but if you reopen the connection, it could be traced."</p><p>Elara nodded, dropping the coin back into the bag and taking a deep breath. At least he's alive. As far as she knew, anyway. Blaise was incredibly smart and resourceful. She was sure he'd be okay.</p><hr/><p>Elara sat in the tall grass by the pond. This was quickly becoming one of her favorite spots in the expanse of the Weasley's garden. She enjoyed the peace she felt by the water as it rippled in the breeze, the moon reflecting off its surface. She was cross legged, her elbows on her thighs and hunched over a bit as her hand toyed with the necklace she wore. The Portkey Emiliana Zabini had given her months ago.</p><p>She hadn't used it, hadn't needed to just yet. But she had hoped that it would be a safe back up plan should something go awry at Grimmauld Place. That option was out now, seeing as there were Death Eaters stationed at the properties. She wasn't sure if they would be able to trace an illegal Portkey, but she was hesitant to leave the necklace behind. If worse came to worse, she could use it. Surely Voldemort wouldn't have his best and brightest stationed at a random residence for months on end. She was positive that should they be met with a couple of low-level Death Eaters, they could easily fight them off.</p><p>"You're thinking awfully loud."</p><p>She craned her neck to look behind her shoulder to see Fred approaching, a bottle in his hands. She smiled at him. "Yes, I suppose if you aren't used to thinking it would seem off putting." She teased.</p><p>"Hey!" He chuckled. "I guess I can just give this potion to a different Empath, then?"</p><p>He fell to the grass beside her, crossing his legs in the same pretzel shape as hers and handing her the bottle. "Thank you." She said.</p><p>"It's about a month's worth, give or take." He said. "Why do you need this much?"</p><p>She sighed. "Fred… You know why."</p><p>He met her gaze and pressed his lips in a thin line, nodding. "Yeah, I reckon I do."</p><p>She looked back over the pond and began picking at the grass. She watched as a rather large spider scuttled through the blades toward the old shed where Mr. Weasley kept his muggle items.</p><p>"What are you going to do if that runs out?" He asked, pulling her attention from the spider.</p><p>She shrugged. "Cross that bridge when I get there, I suppose."</p><p>"I can give you the recipe." He offered. "It's not very complicated. Just have to make sure your heat and timing is right."</p><p>"I'm rubbish at potions." She said. "But I'm sure Hermione could figure it out, if we have the instructions."</p><p>He nodded. "I'll get it to you after the wedding, yeah?"</p><p>She offered a small smile, knowing it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yeah. Thanks."</p><p>"The offer still stands, by the way." He said. "If you find yourself needing a place to stay. Our flat is plenty big enough."</p><p>"It's in the middle of Diagon Alley, Fred."</p><p>"That's the beauty of it, innit?" He laughed. "They've already torn everything apart there. They aren't going to give our joke shop a second glance."</p><p>She snorted, shaking her head. "Your optimism is dangerous."</p><p>"Ah, what's life without a little danger?!" He joked, wrapping a long arm around her shoulders. "Besides, can't let you lot have all the fun now, can we?"</p><p>She shook her head, rolling her eyes. "You Gryffindors really do have a death wish."</p><p>"Better get used to it, El. You're honorary at this point."</p><p>"Lucky me." She chuckled.</p><p>They sat talking for a while. Fred told her about some of things he and George were working on for the Aurors and asked her input on a few different things. She questioned him about the Peruvian Instant Darkness powder and its applications and practicality. They discussed the idea of possibly diluting it, so that it was still dark, but you may be able to see enough to make out shapes. So, it would disorient but not completely blind- therefore becoming useful for Aurors.</p><p>The longer they talked, the worst she felt. She really had begun to enjoy being at the Burrow with everyone. Having input in discussions and chatting with friends who didn't expect her to act a certain way or uphold some archaic idea of purist nonsense. She felt like she could be <em>herself</em> here.</p><p>It wasn't necessarily the difficulty of leaving, that had her feeling upset. It was the realization that she had spent so long convincing herself to not be who she wanted to be. That she was a Malfoy. The daughter of a business man and a philanthropist. The daughter of a Death Eater and his Pureblood wife. Someone who was born to be better than everyone, to look pretty on the arm of a successful wizard. Someone who would serve whatever views her family valued, regardless of her own feelings toward it.</p><p>She suppressed a laugh at the thought. If her ancestors could see her, she was sure they'd be rolling in their graves. She was positive they would not have expected the only female Malfoy born in a century to be sitting in muggle clothes in the grass with dirt beneath her nails and mud on her trainers talking to someone they deemed a "Blood traitor" while dating the person trying to bring down their Lord.</p><p>And she reveled in it. This is exactly who she was supposed to be. Someone who did the right thing, someone who wasn't afraid to love others and <em>show</em> it. She loved her family, but the realizations of how much they had wronged not only her, but countless generations throughout the line. With their archaic beliefs and severe demands. No, that was not who this Malfoy was. And if she could help it, no Malfoy would be like that ever again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 12: Wedding Day Dancing</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Adore by Amy Shark</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Fade Into You by Mazzy Star</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Stolen Dance by Milky Chance</em>
</p><hr/><p>Elara shifted uncomfortably, looking in the mirror as she smoothed out the skirt of the petal pink dress she wore. She had been embarrassed to admit to Mrs. Weasley that she didn't have anything appropriate to wear for the wedding. Thankfully, Ginny had overheard the conversation and approached Fleur about it. Elara and Fleur were comparable in size, and Fleur had an expansive wardrobe. She had brought several dresses for Elara to choose from, waving away all apologies and thanks.</p><p>Elara knew there had been some tension with Fleur before, Ginny had expressed her distaste for her the previous year. But it seemed as if now she was as accepted as anyone else in the Weasley's adopted group. Elara hadn't spent much time with Fleur, admittedly, but the woman had been kind to her in what little conversation they had shared.</p><p>The dress <em>was</em> very pretty. The flowy skirt fell just above her knees and the fitted bodice hugged her curves. The neckline crept up her throat in a thin, lacey material that matched the slightly puffed short sleeves. She felt like one of the china dolls she had as a child in this dress.</p><p>"Oh, you look beautiful!"</p><p>Elara turned around to see Hermione standing in the doorway in a beautiful periwinkle gown that fell mid shin and had thin straps that criss crossed across her back. "So do you!" Elara smiled. "That gown looks gorgeous on you!"</p><p>Hermione blushed a bit as she smiled. "It's too bad my hair won't calm down. This humidity!"</p><p>Elara laughed. "You worry too much! Your hair looks lovely!"</p><p>Hermione waved her hand, dismissing the compliment with a smile. "We'd better change yours now though."</p><p>Fred had procured a few hairs from a ginger boy in the muggle town nearby to use in a polyjuice for Harry. But Elara wasn't as well known. Her biggest giveaway would be her hair. While her picture was plastered through the Prophet, they were confident that a few mild transfigurations to her appearance would be enough to dissuade anyone's suspicion.</p><p>Hermione set to work, whispering the necessary spells to change Elara's appearance. She wrinkled up her face in discomfort as her nose and chin changed shape a bit. When she looked in the mirror after about twenty minutes, she hardly recognized herself.</p><p>"Brilliant, Hermione!" She said, touching her fingers to her face.</p><p>Her hair while still long and straight, was jet black—the same color as Harry's. Her usually long, pointed nose was shortened a bit and flattened a tad wider. Her pointed chin had been rounded out and freckles now smattered across her skin. Her eyes, still storm cloud grey, lay under bold black eyebrows.</p><p>"Here, put these on as well. I charmed the lenses, so they won't obscure your vision at all. But I thought maybe your eyes could be a giveaway. I'm too nervous to blind you by changing your eye color…" Hermione said, handing her a pair of dark, cat eyed glasses.</p><p>She pushed the glasses onto her face and chuckled. She certainly did <em>not</em> look like herself. She would be surprised if even Harry would recognize her at this rate.</p><p>She quite liked this new look, if she were being honest. She looked adorable and <em>soft</em>. Her newly rounded face nothing like the sharp, aristocratic structure she had been born with.</p><p>Just as she said it, Ginny entered the room, staring at her for a moment. "Great wand work Hermione!" She said, looking over Elara's appearance. "I wouldn't recognize you, if I didn't know who you were!"</p><p>Elara smiled, touching at her newly transfigured face once more before turning to Ginny. "Where's everyone at, now?"</p><p>"Oh, they're about to start getting ready to seat. The guests will be arriving soon. I just came to see if you both were ready."</p><p>Hermione and Elara nodded in unison.</p><p>"Brilliant." Ginny said. "Go on down to the tent. I can't go with you since I'm part of the wedding party and all. But Fred, George, Harry and Ron are down there. They'll be at the entrance to start seating guests. Ellie, Harry is Barny, remember? And we've decided to call you Emily."</p><p>Elara nodded. "Emily and Barny. Got it."</p><p>Ginny smiled and gave Hermione and Elara a quick hug before checking her hair one last time and hurrying out of the room to finish getting ready with Fleur and Gabrielle, Fleur's sister.</p><p>"Before we go down, I just wanted to let you know I put your knapsack in my bag." Hermione said, holding up the beaded bag hanging from her wrist. "Just in case."</p><p>"Are you expecting something to happen?" Elara asked, confusion on her features.</p><p>"Not necessarily, but there's going to be a lot of witches and wizards from The Order here. You never know."</p><p>Elara nodded. She felt a twist of nerves in her gut as she followed Hermione outside. She was right, after all. Almost the entirety of The Order would be present. The Weasley's were an old pure blood family to boot! Regardless of their social standing, they were sure to have an expansive crowd of well-known wizards and witches in attendance for the first wedding of any of their children.</p><p>She absentmindedly fiddled with the emerald and diamond bracelet on her wrist, twisting it about and trying to center her nerves. She had taken an extra half dose of the dampening potion today, at Fred and George's suggestion, but it didn't do anything to quell her own nervousness.</p><p>"Blimey, Hermione! You look beautiful!" Ron said, his eyes nearly glazing over as he stared at her.</p><p>Elara saw her cheeks flush as she smiled. "Thank you, Ron."</p><p>"Hey Ha- Barny. Will you take Hermione and…" Ron trailed off, looking at Elara.</p><p>"It's me, you git." Elara laughed. "You knew Hermione was changing my appearance! Guests haven't even started showing yet!"</p><p>Fred and George both laughed as Ron's ears tinged pink. "Yeah well, you look completely different, don't you?!"</p><p>"That's the point, mate." Harry said, clapping Ron's shoulder.</p><p>Harry looked every bit as different from himself as Elara did. The man they stole the hair from in the muggle town was a bit shorter than Harry, and a bit broader too. He was softer in the midsection and his face was far more rounded than Harry's more squared features.</p><p>Harry stepped forward, grabbing Elara's hands and stooping down to give her a chaste kiss. "You look nice." He said.</p><p>"As do you." She nodded.</p><p>He pulled at the collar of his robes. "This bloke's a bit pudgy." He said. "My robes are tight."</p><p>Elara pulled her wand from her bodice and flicked it toward Harry, giving his robes a bit more room. "Better?"</p><p>"Yeah." He said, a grateful smile crossing his face. "Thanks."</p><p>"Oi, they're coming." George said, a groan evident under his tone.</p><p>"I'll save you a seat?" Elara said.</p><p>Harry nodded. "Yeah, we'll be in just before the ceremony starts."</p><p>She stood on her toes and gave Harry a quick peck before following Hermione into the tent. It was odd, to kiss a face that didn't look like Harry's. She usually wanted to snog him senseless, but looking so completely opposite of his normal self, it felt strange to press her lips against him.</p><p>"It's still Harry." Hermione said, as if reading her mind.</p><p>"I know." Elara said. "It's just odd."</p><p>"Probably strange for him too, I'd imagine."</p><p>Elara hummed in agreement as they took their seats.</p><p>The marquee was beautiful, and Elara was in awe of the work that had gone in on it just this morning. Mr. Weasley, the rest of the Weasley men, and Harry, had spent the morning erecting the fabric and piecing together the enormous tent. Fred and George had created several decorations to adorn the perimeter inside including golden balloons, beautiful golden flowers that seems to dance in the breeze and purple and golden sashes that twisted through the ceiling of the structure. The twinkling of soft gold fairy lights reflected off the delicate golden chairs.</p><p>In the far front corner, there was a quartet of strings enchanted to play soft melodies as the guests entered and Elara found herself swaying slightly in rhythm with the soothing music. She was reminded of the ballroom at the Manor and the music that always played from there. Even when there wasn't an event going on, her mother insisted the strings play throughout the day.</p><p>She wondered if the music was still playing or if the presence of Death Eaters had disrupted that bit of peace that was always in the Manor.</p><p>Slowly, the tent began to fill as Fred, George, Harry, and Ron brought more and more guests in to be seated. Hagrid gave a smile as he passed Elara and Hermione, his eyes already brimming with tears as he took his spot in the back. Elara chuckled to herself as she heard Fred trying to chat up a group of Fleur's French cousins. She was impressed that he knew a bit of French, even if it was pronounced almost offensively incorrect. She saw Remus Lupin and Tonks file in, followed by Andromeda and Ted. Andromeda caught her eye and gave her a soft smile and a nod, which she returned in kind.</p><p>She heard an "oof" as someone took the chair behind Hermione. She watched as the hand tapped Hermione's shoulder and she turned around.</p><p>"V-Viktor?!" Hermione said, surprise written all over her face. "Oh! Hello! How are you?!" She stood to lean forward and he took her in an embrace. It was then that Elara caught his face and blanched.</p><p>"Viktor? Viktor Krum?" She said, her tone incredulous.</p><p>Hermione nodded. "Yes! Yes! Of course, you haven't met him! El- erm.. Emily, this is an old friend of mine, Viktor. Viktor, this is Emily!"</p><p>He narrowed his eyes and stared at her for moment before looking back to Hermione. "She is friend of yours?" He asked, his deep baritone thick with his Bulgarian accent.</p><p>Hermione nodded. "One of my best friends, yes!"</p><p>He nodded, taking Elara's hand and pressing his lips to the back of it. "Friend of Hermoninny is friend of mine."</p><p>She bit her lip to hold in the chuckle at the way her pronounced Hermione's name. Hermione gave her a side long glance that said <em>"Don't you dare laugh</em>".</p><p>"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Krum." She smiled.</p><p>He hummed in response and finally dropped her hand, just as Harry came to the seat next to her. She had to stifle the laugh as he glared at Viktor.</p><p>Hermione began to chat with him, asking him how his summer had been so far as Elara leaned over and placed a quick kiss to Harry's lips. "Jealous, are we?" She chuckled.</p><p>Harry straightened his robes and squared his shoulders. "No."</p><p>She rolled her eyes and patted the top of his thigh before lacing her fingers through his. Ron fell in the seat beside Harry and spent the next few minutes glaring daggers at Viktor until the music changed and everyone's attention turned to the front of the marquee.</p><p>Mr. and Mrs. Weasley walked down the aisle and took their seats at the front next to Mrs. Delacour. Bill and Charlie walked next, taking their place at the front. Fred stood on the other side of Ron whistling and cat calling loudly as a rumble of laughter went through the tent.</p><p>"Fred!" Elara chastised, a smile playing at her lips. "Do you have to be ridiculous all the time?!"</p><p>He shrugged. "Someone had to break the tension!"</p><p>She shook her head, laughing lightly to herself and when she sat back, she caught Harry's eye. He smiled at her and she leaned in, pressing a kiss to his lips again.</p><p>Ginny and Gabrielle, Fleur's sister, walked down the aisle in matching deep gold dresses. Elara thought Ginny looked beautiful, the color complimenting her hair and skin perfectly.</p><p>The music changed tempo and every breath drew in as Fleur came down the aisle in a flowing white gown, holding onto her father's arm. Elara looked to Bill, smiling as the look of awe settled on his face and he let out the breath he had been holding.</p><p>The ceremony was beautiful. Whispered words and secret glances shared between the bride and groom. Elara found herself, as well as Hermione, patting a handkerchief to her eyes. Tears of happiness spilling over for the newly weds as they shared their vows.</p><p>She couldn't help but feel the slight constricting in her chest as she wondered if she would ever be gifted a moment like this. She hoped deeply that she would make it out of the impending war alive, but knew that it was unlikely. Whether she died in battle or was captured and killed, she doubted that she would ever have this moment. And should she be lucky enough to make it to the point that she did, would it be Harry standing at the end of the aisle, looking at her the way Bill looked at Fleur? She felt her stomach come a live with the flutter of butterflies as she snuck a sidelong glance at the Polyjuiced form of Harry sitting next to her, his slightly sweaty palm pressed against hers and his thumb rubbing absent minded circles into the back of her hand.</p><p>Quickly her mind wandered away from this distant daydream of a wedding as she realized that even if by some miracle she was gifted a life long enough to make it to that point, she was sure it would not be her father who walked her down the aisle. Her brother would most likely not be standing next to her groom. Her mother not in the crowd, dabbing at the tears that would collect in her eyes.</p><p>She could not imagine a world where they all made it out alive and together and happy.</p><p>"Are you okay?" Harry leaned over, his shoulder bumping into hers as he tightened the grip on her hand.</p><p>She looked at him and nodded, a sad smile on her face. "I am." She said. "It's just the wedding."</p><p>He studied her for a minute, his Polyjuiced brown eyes roamed her face under auburn eyebrows that were knit together in concern. He leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her cheek and she rested her head on his shoulder.</p><p>As the ceremony ended, the large balloons behind them erupted with tiny bells, golden flowers and birds of paradise. The Ministry Official asked for everyone to rise as the walls of the marquee disappeared and the chairs moved away, some turning into tables. A golden dance floor melted into the ground and trays of hors d'oeuvres and champagne floated through the crowd.</p><p>A band in gold jackets took the front and began playing music to dance to as the crowd found their seats. Elara followed Harry, Ron and Hermione to a table in the back where Luna Lovegood was sitting with a strange looking man that she assumed to be Luna's father.</p><p>"Hello, Ellie." Luna greeted her, giving her a quick hug.</p><p>Elara blanched. "Erm… Hi, Luna. How did you know…?"</p><p>"It's obvious, isn't it? You may not look like you, but you're still yourself." She smiled, wistfully.</p><p>Elara shook her head a bit, taking the seat next to Harry. "Don't worry," He said. "She knew who I was instantly too. Luna just has that way about her."</p><p>They chatted with the Lovegood's for a few moments before they both got up to talk to the newlyweds and dance. Elara plucked a few glasses of champagne from the passing trays and passed them around.</p><p>"We should dance." Elara said, looking to Harry.</p><p>Hermione snorted. "They don't dance." She said, waving between Harry and Ron.</p><p>"Tosh." Elara said, standing up and grabbing Harry's hand. "One dance, and then you can sit here and look uncomfortable all night."</p><p>He groaned. "Ellie…"</p><p>"Emily." She corrected. "You can't expect me to be at an event and not dance, can you? It's practically in my blood."</p><p>Harry groaned again but stood, shooting Ron a look as he laughed. They got to the dancefloor and Elara placed Harry's hand on her hip, gripping the other in her own and placing her free hand on his shoulder.</p><p>"With as clumsy as you are, you want to dance?" Harry grumbled.</p><p>She laughed. "All pureblood witches must learn to waltz at a young age, <em>Barny</em>." She smirked.</p><p>He rolled his eyes and chuckled. "I've only danced once, at the Yule Ball fourth year and that's because I had to."</p><p>"Well, it's not that hard. Take the lead…" She said, encouraging him to move his feet.</p><p>They danced a bit, Harry slowly becoming more comfortable and she laughed as he even twirled her around. When he brought her back to him, she placed her head on his chest, their clasped hands against it as well. His arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her flush against him.</p><p>"It's hard to believe that tomorrow everything changes." She whispered.</p><p>"Not everything." Harry replied, nudging her chin up with a finger and pressing his lips soundly against hers.</p><p>"I have to admit," She said, when he pulled away. "It's odd kissing you like this. I know it's you, but it doesn't quite feel the same."</p><p>He chuckled. "I know what you mean." He agreed. "Maybe we can make up for that later?"</p><p>She bit her bottom lip, holding back the grin threatening her face. When the song ended, she pulled Harry back to the table with Ron and Hermione, as promised.</p><p>Just as they sat back down, she noticed Viktor Krum stalking toward them. Ron instantly tensed up and Hermione rolled her eyes. Elara made a mental note to ask her about that later.</p><p>"May I sit?" He asked, motioning to the chair on the other side of Harry.</p><p>"Yeah." Harry said. "Sure."</p><p>Viktor nodded in thanks and took his seat, grabbing a glass of Firewhiskey off the tray floating by.</p><p>Ron abruptly stood, asking Hermione to dance and they made their way to the floor. Elara chuckled at Ron's jealousy.</p><p>"They are together now?" Viktor asked, nodding to where Ron and Hermione had disappeared to.</p><p>"Eh—sort of." Harry answered. Elara chuckled.</p><p>"Who are you?"</p><p>"Barny Weasley." Harry said, shaking Viktor's hand.</p><p>"And you two are together?" Viktor asked, pointing between Elara and Harry.</p><p>"Yes." Harry said. "Very much together."</p><p>Viktor furrowed his dark brows together looking between the very unlikely match that their Polyjuiced and transfigured forms made. Elara laughed inwardly. Even with changed appearances their coupling didn't make sense. No more sense than a Potter and Malfoy made, anyway.</p><p>Elara watched the dance floor as the pace of the music picked up and more people began dancing and laughing. It seemed as if the reception was in full swing and many people were a few drinks in, letting their guards down and fully enjoying themselves. She caught a bit of the conversation between Harry and Viktor and turned her attention to them.</p><p>"...I vould duel him right now!" Viktor said, angrily.</p><p>"Who are you dueling?" Elara asked.</p><p>"That Lovegood man!" He said. "He vears the mark of Grindelvald!"</p><p>Elara blanched. Surely, someone as eccentric as Luna's father wouldn't <em>knowingly</em> support a dark wizard like that. She had only just met the man today, and wasn't particularly close to Luna, but she knew her well enough to know that she was certainly not a supporter of the Dark Arts.</p><p>"You're certain?" Elara asked.</p><p>"I valked past it every day!" He said. "I vould know that symbol anyvhere!"</p><p>"Grindelwald… That's the dark wizard Dumbledore defeated, isn't it?"</p><p>"Exactly." Viktor said, his voice hard.</p><p>"Grindelwald killed a lot of people, Ha-Barny." Elara said. "He was extremely powerful."</p><p>Viktor grunted. "He vos not very poverful in this country, but that is his symbol. It vas carved into many places at Durmstrang. Grindelvald killed my grandfather. I vill duel any vizard that vears that symbol proudly."</p><p>"Is it possible the symbol may have a different meaning?" Elara asked, looking between Harry and Viktor. "Surely it's a rune taken out of context? Perhaps Mr. Lovegood is unaware…"</p><p>"I do not know." Viktor said, pulling his wand from his trousers and setting it on his thigh. His eyes boring into Mr. Lovegood.</p><p>"Gregorovitch!" Harry said, suddenly.</p><p>Elara looked at him in confusion. "What are you talking about?"</p><p>"He's a wand maker!" Harry said. "He made your wand!"</p><p>Viktor shook his head in confusion. "Vy do you-</p><p>"I read it." Harry said quickly. "Erm- in, in a magazine."</p><p>Elara stared at Harry in complete confusion. What on <em>earth</em> was he on about? He began rambling, talking quickly to Viktor as Fred approached them.</p><p>"Oi, Barny!" Fred said, smiling widely at them. "Mind if I steal your girlfriend for a few dances?"</p><p>"Yeah, sure." Harry said, turning back to Viktor.</p><p>Elara rolled her eyes. "Ever the gentleman." She grumbled.</p><p>Harry looked up to her, his cheeks tinging pink in the embarrassment of his rushed response. Before he could apologize, however, Fred pulled her by her hand off her chair and toward the dance floor.</p><p>The song playing was upbeat and Elara quickly found herself laughing as Fred grabbed her hands and twirled her around shimmying his hips and spinning her in all directions.</p><p>"Shame he doesn't dance!" Fred said. "You're not too bad!"</p><p>"Give it time!" She laughed. "I'm sure I'll twist my ankle soon!"</p><p>Fred barked a laugh and grabbed two glasses of Firewhiskey off a passing tray, handing one to her. "To new family!" he said, clinking his glass against hers before knocking the contents back in one gulp.</p><p>"It's still early yet, Fred." Elara laughed, gulping down her Firewhiskey with a grimace and setting the glass on the tray. "If you aren't careful, you'll be sozzled before the night's over!"</p><p>"Already am, love!" He laughed, twirling her around again.</p><p>The song slowed down and Fred place his hand at her waist, taking her hand in his and began swaying. She sighed in contentment, happy with this evening, again. Glad to spend one last night enjoying herself before the uncertainty of what was to come.</p><p>Elara spent the better part of the next 2 hours dancing with Fred and George. She had even taken a dance with Bill and Charlie at one point. She was having the best time, more fun than she had been able to have in a very long time. No outside emotions to twist in her gut and the champagne she drank kept her own anxieties at bay. Before long, the idea of leaving the next night had fell into the back of her mind. Buried behind laughter and twirling as she took turns dancing with anyone who asked.</p><p>As the evening wore on, Fred and George disappeared behind the copse of trees by the pond with two of Fleur's cousins and the raucousness of the party was seeming to wind down. She looked around and spotted Harry sitting at a table with a very old man and an equally old woman who she had come to be told was Great Auntie Muriel.</p><p>She studied him for a minute, he seemed to be deep in conversation. A look of bewilderment on his face as he listened to the ancient woman speak. Elara wondered what they could possibly be talking about that would have Harry so involved.</p><p>"Ron's going to find some butterbeer!" Hermione said, appearing at her side. "I'm going to have a seat. These shoes are killing me!"</p><p>Elara laughed. "I'll be over! I'll just help Ron with the butterbeer!"</p><p>Hermione smiled, walking toward the table Harry was sat at. Elara turned and scanned the marquee, seeing Ron at a table lined with the small cakes and pies that she and Mrs. Weasley had put together. She wandered over to him and nudged his shoulder.</p><p>"Thought you were supposed to be getting us butterbeer?" She asked.</p><p>Ron laughed, biting into one of the pies. "I was!" He said, around a mouthful. "But these looked too good! You and mum did a great job on them!"</p><p>"Thank you!" She smiled, picking up one of the small cakes and taking a bite out of it.</p><p>"Did you see Viktor Krum and Mr. Lovegood a bit ago?" Elara asked. "It looked like they were arguing. Viktor said he thought Mr. Lovegood was wearing the mark of Grindelwald."</p><p>"Grindelwald?" Ron said, swallowing the last of his pie. "Isn't that the wizard Dumbledore defeated?"</p><p>Elara nodded. "Yes. Odd, isn't it?"</p><p>"I'd say so. Does Harry-</p><p>Before Ron could finish his thought, a large wisp of silver tore through the marquee, stopping center of the floor. A lynx appeared and from it, Kingsley Shacklebolt's deep voice rang through the tent, stopping everyone dead in their tracks.</p><p>"The Ministry had fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming."</p><p>Elara dropped the cake in her hand and pulled her wand from the bodice of her dress, from the corner of her eye, she saw Ron brandish his own.</p><p>"Where's Harry and Hermione?" Ron asked.</p><p>"Just over there!" She pointed across the marquee to the far back corner where Harry had been sitting.</p><p>"We need to-</p><p>Again, Ron's words were interrupted, this time by a scream. Elara and Ron looked at each other and she saw the panic in his eyes. He grasped her hand and began pulling her into throng of people. Everyone was on their feet, running in every direction and she could hear "<em>Protego</em>" being shouted on all sides. Jets of different colored lights whizzed around, crashing into the tables and sending the golden centerpieces flying.</p><p>"HERMIONE!" Ron bellowed. "HA-</p><p>"No!" Elara said, slapping her hand over Ron's mouth. "No! They'll take him if they know he's here!"</p><p>Her heart was thumping, blood rushing in her ears as black cloaks began appearing. She froze, hearing the cold cackle of her Aunt Bellatrix from somewhere in the distance.</p><p>"RON!" Hermione's voice rang loudly through the crowd. "RON! EMILY!"</p><p>Elara thanked Merlin that Hermione had the sense to use the fake name she had been given while yelling for her. She whipped her head around, looking through the panicking crowd and cursing inwardly at the amount of people in the way. They all seemed to be pushing into the center of the marquee and they were becoming surrounded quickly by black cloaked figures and terrified wedding guests.</p><p>She felt a curse whiz past her ear and as she dodged to the left, she lost grip of Ron's hand. He whipped around, trying to push back through the crowd that had swallowed him. She heard a familiar voice call out a curse she had never heard of before and when she turned around, she was met face to face with a broad chested man, peering down through a mask. The breath caught her throat at the silver eyes staring into her own. They did not belong to Draco.</p><p>They were her father's.</p><p>She felt her mouth go dry as her heart stuttered painfully in her chest. She knew the moment his eyes landed on hers, he recognized her. Dark hair and glasses be damned, her father would recognize her anywhere.</p><p>"Elara." He breathed her name, the fear in his voice shaking beneath the mask on his face. She watched as he lowered his wand.</p><p>"Is Draco here?" She asked, unable to keep the question from slipping past her lips.</p><p>"No." He said.</p><p>She felt the grasp on her hand and looked over her shoulder, Ron was tugging at her. "Tell him I'm alive. Tell him I love him. And mum. I'm sorry!" She rushed out, pointing her wand at him as tears gathered in her eyes. "<em>Stupefy</em>."</p><p>She watched as he went sailing backward, crashing into the table of desserts. Her feet were moving again, slipping beneath her as Ron tugged her through the crowd. Her wrist ached from the force of Ron's grip and he nearly cried when she reached out, grasping Hermione's hand.</p><p>Within an instant, they were gone. The screaming of the guests and the crashing of broken vases and chairs a distant echo as the air pushed from her lungs and she felt as if she were being shoved through a tight rubber tube.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 13: Escape to Grimmauld Place</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Make It Out Alive by Jennifer Hall</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Some Unholy War by Amy Winehouse</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Halfway to Hell by Eliot Sumner</em>
</p><hr/><p>Elara stumbled as her feet hit the concrete sidewalk and she looked around, frantic. Hermione was tugging her down the sidewalk of the busy street.</p><p>"Where are we?" Elara asked, looking around at all the brightly lit shops and blinking as the lights on the vehicles nearly blinded her in passing.</p><p>"Tottenham Court Road." Hermione said. "It's the first place I could think of."</p><p>She looked around, feeling completely disoriented. Muggle London. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. They were definitely in Muggle London.</p><p>"Walk, just keep walking!" Hermione said, pulling at Elara's hand.</p><p>Her feet finally moved as her eyes remained wide, drinking in the surroundings of the busy Muggle city. She heard laughter and whispers as they passed several groups of people and she became suddenly self-conscious of the clothing they were wearing.</p><p>"Why didn't I think to grab my Invisibility cloak?!" Harry was groaning. "I can't believe I didn't! I kept it on me all year last year and now-</p><p>"I have it." Hermione said.</p><p>Elara felt her face split into a smile at Harry and Ron's reaction. "The bag! Of course, you do!" She said.</p><p>"Come on, you need to change!" Hermione said to Ron. "You and Harry look the most suspicious of all of us."</p><p>"Yeah well, it's not my fault muggles don't wear dress robes!" Ron grumbled.</p><p>"Hermione, down here!" Elara said, pointing to a dimly lit alley behind what looked to be a café of some sort.</p><p>They stepped into the alley and Hermione began digging through her bag. Ron and Harry both looked floored when she pulled out Elara's knapsack, handing it to her. Her small beaded bag swallowed her arm once more as she dug through it again, finally pulling out a couple pairs of jeans and cotton tee shirts. She handed them to Ron and Harry and turned to face Elara.</p><p>"Did you recognize anyone there?" She asked.</p><p>"They had masks on," Elara said. "But my father was there."</p><p>"You're sure?"</p><p>Elara nodded. "Yeah. He could've cursed me and he didn't. He knew who I was instantly."</p><p>"Your eyes?"</p><p>"I think so, yeah." Elara confirmed. "That's the only reason I knew who he was. I nearly fell into him. When I looked up…" She trailed off, shutting her eyes. She took off the fake glasses and tossed them to the ground. It's not like it helped much to disguise her anyway.</p><p>"Do you think we were followed?" Harry asked, taking the invisibility cloak from Hermione.</p><p>"I don't know." Hermione said. "I don't know how we could have been."</p><p>"We need to get cover." Elara said. "We're too open out here. If they've followed us, we can't go to Grimmauld yet."</p><p>Harry nodded, his curly red hair was turning back to the natural black and he groaned as he shot up a few inches in height.</p><p>"Put the cloak on, Harry." Hermione said.</p><p>Harry threw the cloak over himself and Elara felt him grasp the back of her dress. Her mind was racing. They had to stay together, if they were followed and they get separated, it would could mean life or death. She grasped Ron's hand and he held onto Hermione's as she led the way through the packed streets.</p><p>"I've never been in Muggle London before." Elara whispered. "It's… Crowded."</p><p>"Oi Loves! Let us buy you a pint!" A man called from a little way down the sidewalk. Elara wrinkled her nose in disgust at the man. Muggle or not, that was certainly no way to talk to a lady you didn't even know! <em>Get it together, Elara.</em> She thought to herself, trying to center her mind and stop thinking about things as trivial as strange men hollering at her and Hermione. But then again… What if they were trying to get their attention? They certainly <em>looked</em> like muggles. But what if they weren't? She shook her head. No, that was unlikely. How could they have been there before them? They wouldn't have known that Hermione was going to bring them here.</p><p>Elara felt her stomach give an unpleasant churn. She didn't like feeling so paranoid. Everything seemed suspicious and she felt disoriented from all of the lights and the loud honking come from the vehicles. Everything felt <em>foreign</em>. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves as they rounded the corner.</p><p>"In here." Hermione said, pulling them to the door of a twenty-four-hour café that was empty. Elara looked up as she heard a small chime come from the doorway as they entered, alerting the waitress that someone had come in. They slid into the booth in the far back corner. Harry and Ron against the wall, across from one another and Elara and Hermione on the ends.</p><p>"What can I get you?" The waitress asked, smacking a piece of gum in her mouth and looking very displeased that they had entered.</p><p>"Erm- three cappuccinos, please." Hermione said.</p><p>The waitress nodded and turned around, heading to the counter behind the bar.</p><p>"Where are we going to go?" Harry whispered.</p><p>"We can't go to Grimmauld yet." Hermione said. "If we've been followed…"</p><p>"They'll just follow us there." Elara said.</p><p>"We could go to the Leaky." Ron said. "We aren't far from it."</p><p>"We can't." Elara said.</p><p>"Ellie's right, Ron." Hermione agreed. "If we go to the Leaky, we'd be setting ourselves up."</p><p>"What if we just go to find out what's happened?"</p><p>"We know what's happened." Hermione said. "The ministry has been taken over."</p><p>"What about the wedding?" Harry whispered. "All the guests. We have to-</p><p>"No." Elara said. "Harry, we can't. They want <em>you</em>. If you show up, they'll kill you."</p><p>"Besides, most of the Order was there. The guests will be fine." Hermione said, looking between Ron and the empty space Harry's voice floated from.</p><p>"Thank you." Elara said to the waitress as she set the cappuccinos in front of them on the table. The waitress nodded and turned back around, resuming her post at the bar and flipping through a magazine.</p><p>Elara took the mug in her hand and stared down at the foamy liquid. She took a sip and grimaced.</p><p>"That is revolting." Ron said, mirroring her sentiments.</p><p>She chuckled. "Harry, do want mine?" She asked, pushing the mug toward him.</p><p>"No, I'm okay." He said. "Listen we need to figure out the best plan from here. If Voldemort has taken over, we need to figure out what to do next."</p><p>They began to talk about what they should do next. Where they could go. Hermione suggested her parent's house, which now sat empty. Harry was vehemently against that idea. Ron brought up the possibility of going to a safe house, they were located in several different spots around London, but Elara was afraid they would be crowded with guests of the wedding and there would be no way to know if Harry would be safe in one right now. As they were whispering fiercely to one another, Elara heard the chime above the door. She snuck a glance over her shoulder and felt her heart stop.</p><p>Dolohov.</p><p>That was <em>definitely</em> Dolohov. Even in the muggle clothes he wore, she recognized him. She remembered him from Christmas, when Voldemort tried to force her to use her abilities on him. She was sure his face was one she would never forget.</p><p>She turned back around facing Hermione and slipped her hand under the Invisibility cloak, snapping to get Harry's attention. She felt him grab her hand and she then gave an almost imperceptible jerk of her head to the left, indicating the two Death Eaters that had just walked in.</p><p>She caught Hermione's eye and in a whispered breath she said "Death Eaters." Shifting her eyes to the side.</p><p>As Hermione turned slightly to look at the men, she saw them pull their wands.</p><p>Instantly, Harry and Ron pushed Hermione and Elara onto the seat of the booth, their heads under the table. Elara jumped as the cracking of tile rang through the empty café, a hole the size of a quaffle, in the wall where Ron's head had been.</p><p>Elara slid from the booth, pulling her wand from the bodice of her dress and firing a stunner at the larger Death Eater. <em>Rowle</em>. Her brain supplied the name. The spell missed, ricocheting off the tile and smashing into the lights above them.</p><p>"<em>Expulso</em>!" Rowle yelled, the table behind her exploded, raining scraps down over the café. Elara screamed, throwing herself into a table to avoid being hit with the debris.</p><p>"The waitress!" Elara yelled out, hoping someone would do something to ensure the poor woman wouldn't be injured. She heard Hermione yell out a <em>confundus</em> charm in response.</p><p>She turned around, hearing the man grunt as a jet of red caught his arm. He whirled around and flourished his wand, black ropes exploding from the end and wrapping around Ron's legs and torso, creeping up around his throat and tightening.</p><p>"AUGH!" Elara yelled as she felt a hex catch her in the back, propelling her forward. She crashed into the wall and slid down it, feeling her forehead split as it smacked against the wall. She scrambled to all fours, trying to get her bearings and wiped the blood from her brow on the back of her hand.</p><p>"<em>Stupefy!</em>" She heard Harry yell. She saw Dolohov smash into a cluster of tables and realized he was unconscious.</p><p>"<em>Petrificus Totalus!</em>" Hermione cried from somewhere on her left.</p><p>Elara's vision was blurred, the blood pouring down her face, staining the petal pink lace of her dress with deep crimson red. She wiped the blood from her eyes again and stood.</p><p>She stepped over the broken booths and tables and looked at Ron. Hermione was on her hands and knees, trying to free him from the ever-tightening ropes. He cried in pain as Hermione's <em>Diffindo</em> missed and sliced open his knee.</p><p>"I'm sorry, I'm sorry Ron! My hands are shaking." Hermione said, finally slashing through the ropes.</p><p>Ron gasped as the rope released from his throat and he looked up at Elara. "Shit, Ellie!" He said. "Are you okay?"</p><p>She nodded. "I'm fine."</p><p>Harry rushed to her, the cloak in his hand. He had a wad of napkins in his other, he pressed them to her forehead. "Are you okay?"</p><p>"I'm fine, honestly." She said. "I hit my head on the wall. But I'm okay. You? Are you all okay?"</p><p>Harry nodded.</p><p>"Yeah." Ron said. "I'm alright."</p><p>"How did they find us?" Hermione said. "I don't understand. No one grabbed us when we apparated!"</p><p>"We're close to the ministry, aren't we?" Elara said, batting Harry's hands away from her and pressing the napkins to her head, herself. "Maybe they're patrolling?"</p><p>"Lock the door." Harry said. "Ron, get the lights."</p><p>Ron nodded as Elara flicked her wand to the door. Ron pulled the Deluminator from his pocket, clicking the side of it and stealing the lights from the overhead lamps.</p><p>"What are we going to do with them?" Elara asked. "We can't leave them."</p><p>"They'd kill us if they had the chance." Ron said.</p><p>Elara felt the pull of dread like a heavy weight, sinking low into the pit of her stomach. She was not a killer, none of them were. She couldn't possibly… <em>Harry </em>couldn't possibly…</p><p>"No." Harry said, shaking his head. "No. Just… We'll just wipe their memories, yeah? Throw them off the scent."</p><p>There was a collective sigh of relief between them. They stared around in the dark, looking at the Death Eaters as they lay on the ground. No one made a move to begin.</p><p>"I've never done a memory charm." Ron whispered. "Have you?"</p><p>"No." Harry answered.</p><p>"I'll do it." Hermione said, her voice trembling. "I… I know how."</p><p>"I'll help." Elara said.</p><p>"Let's clean up." Harry said to Ron. "We don't want them to wake up and think the place was bombed."</p><p>"Right, yeah." Ron said.</p><p>Elara and Hermione set to work, wiping the memories of the Death Eaters and the waitress. She felt her chest tighten as she pointed her wand between the eyes of Dolohov. She had tried to spare him months ago, refusing to cause him harm. And now? Her blood-soaked hand was shaking as it pressed the tip of her wand to his flesh, her breath broken as she whispered <em>"Obliviate</em>" and took the memories away from him. This was not what she wanted, but what other option did they have?</p><p>If the Death Eaters knew they were here, they would surely be trailed. She wasn't even sure how they had found them in the first place, but if they were able to find them now, it was assumed they would find them again.</p><p>Her head was pounding and her back ached where the curse had hit her. She was worried about everyone back at the wedding and—Her <em>father</em>. Her father had been there and what if he hurt someone? What if <em>killed</em> someone? But Draco wasn't there. <em>Why</em> wasn't he there? And then, like a stack of falling bricks, a realization hit her.</p><p>The wand that had been in her father's hand was not his own.</p><p>She had spent her <em>entire</em> life around that wand. She knew it better than her own. That was not the same smooth Elmwood wand her father had. It looked like her mother's. If that were the case, what happened to his wand?</p><p>"Ellie?" Harry said.</p><p>"Sorry." She said, shaking her head. "What?"</p><p>"I said grab his feet." Harry said.</p><p>"Right." Elara said, reaching down and hoisting the man up. They dragged him toward the booth and propped him up, across from Rowle.</p><p>When the café was cleaned up and the waitress was moved behind the counter, Ron returned the lights and they exited.</p><p>"What if you still have the trace?" Hermione said to Harry.</p><p>"Can't have," Ron interjected. "It disappears when you turn seventeen. Besides, Harry's used magic since yesterday. If he still had the trace the ministry would have been knocking down the door."</p><p>"What if the Death Eaters figured out a way to do it?" Hermione asked. "I just don't understand how else they could have found us."</p><p>"If I can't use magic and you can't use magic around me without giving us away then—</p><p>"Don't be stupid." Elara snapped. "We aren't splitting up. What good would you be anyway, if you couldn't use magic and you were on your own?"</p><p>"We need to go to Grimmauld." Harry said. "We can regroup."</p><p>"But if they follow us…" Hermione said.</p><p>"And what about Snape? He still knows how to get in." Ron said.</p><p>"What about him?" Harry spat. "I'd love nothing more than a chance to duel him."</p><p>"We already decided he wouldn't be an issue," Elara reminded them. "I think Harry's right… We need somewhere we can lay low and you've said it's unplottable, right? You can't get more hidden than that."</p><hr/><p>Elara took a deep, gulping breath as her feet hit the concrete once more. She looked over her shoulders to see an empty street lined with homes and dimly lit street lamps. Harry grabbed her hand.</p><p>"This way." He said, pulling her beside him.</p><p>The four walked swiftly, stopping before a dilapidated old house with the number twelve in large numbers on the front. Harry opened the gate and they stepped through, quickly making the trek up the walk and to the stoop. Harry pressed his wand to the door and Elara could hear the unlocking of the metal behind it.</p><p>Slowly, Harry turned the knob and pushed the door open. They shuffled in through the threshold. The house was dingy and old. From where she was standing, Elara thought it looked mostly untouched. Although, there was a large troll leg overturned near the door that looked like it was used to hold umbrellas.</p><p>"Looks like someone might have been here." Hermione said, pointing to the leg.</p><p>"That could have been when The Order was clearing out." Ron suggested.</p><p>As the door shut behind them, they stood frozen to the spot. Elara's breathing was shaky and uneven and she could feel the hints of fear from Ron, Harry, and Hermione. She groaned inwardly. The potion was wearing off. She wished she would have just taken a double dose instead of the dose and half. Although, it had lasted <em>much</em> longer than it usually did.</p><p>Harry stepped forward and suddenly, Elara's tongue felt like it curled in on itself. She opened her mouth to speak, and no words were able to escape. She felt fear coarse through her as she looked at Ron and Hermione, both with their mouths open and trying to unglue their tongues.</p><p>Almost as soon as it happened, the sickening sensation lifted and Ron retched.</p><p>"Tongue tying jinx." Elara said, grimacing at the unpleasant feel in her stomach.</p><p>"Must have been to keep Snape from speaking if he entered." Hermione said.</p><p>Harry took another step forward and Elara squinted into the darkness, looking at a swirling cloud of dust at the end of the hall.</p><p>"What is that?" She asked.</p><p>Before anyone could answer, the cloud surged forward. Dumbledore, ghostly and terrifying flew at them, his finger raised, pointing at Harry. To the right of them, a few feet ahead, a set of curtains flew open and the shrieking voice of a woman began screaming. "<em>Mudbloods! Blood traitors! Filth to the name of your families! Disgusting stains of dishonor upon…"</em></p><p>"It wasn't us!" Harry said.</p><p>Elara jumped, burying her face into Harry's back. She heard Hermione yell out in surprise and stumble against the wall.</p><p>"It wasn't us!" Harry said again. "We didn't kill you!"</p><p>With a thunderous roar, the cloud dissipated. In its place, the portrait still screaming insults at them.</p><p>"Are you all right?" Harry asked, turning to face Elara, his hands on her upper arms as he looked her over.</p><p>She nodded. "Yeah." She turned to see Hermione covering her face with her hands, crouched down against the wall. "Hermione, are you-?"</p><p>"I'm f-fine." She said. "I-I'm okay."</p><p>"That was bloody terrifying." Ron said, his voice shaking.</p><p>"Filthy Mud-Blood scum in my house! Blood traitors! You do not deserve to-</p><p>"SHUT UP!" Harry yelled, flicking his wand toward the portrait.</p><p>With a bang, the curtains closed over it again and the shrieking stopped.</p><p>"Let's go upstairs." Hermione said.</p><p>Harry grasped Elara's hand again and led her further into the house. Each step she took, she breathed a shaking sigh of relief that no more traps were appearing. She climbed the creaky stairs behind Harry, never dropping his hand. They reached the top and he led them into a large sitting room.</p><p>"<em>Homenum Revelio</em>" Hermione muttered.</p><p>"No one else is here." Elara said.</p><p>Ron and Hermione sat on the couch and Elara perched on the arm of it, looking around the room. They began discussing the trace again, trying to figure out how the Death Eaters would have known where they were at.</p><p>"Harry?" Elara said, standing from the arm of the couch and walking to where he was at by the window. "Harry, are you okay?"</p><p>She looked at him, her eyes roaming his face. Something was off. He didn't <em>feel</em> right. Just before she could reach out to touch him, he doubled over, dropping to his knees with his head in his hands. Elara's eyes fluttered shut as the breath left her lungs.</p><p>White hot rage filled her, head to toe.</p><p>"Harry!" Hermione said, jumping up from the couch.</p><p>Harry cried out in pain, clutching at his head, his eyes watering as he looked up. "He's <em>angry</em>." He said.</p><p>"I can feel it, too!" Elara said, her knees nearly buckling from the force of the rage pulsing out of Harry and into her mind. She felt like she couldn't breathe.</p><p>"Did you see where he was?" Ron asked. "Is he- was he at the Burrow? Are they okay?"</p><p>"No." Harry said. "I-I couldn't see anything just… <em>anger</em>."</p><p>"I thought the connection was closed?" Hermione asked. "Harry, you were supposed to-</p><p>"I know! I know Hermione. And it was. But… I don't know how to control it!" Harry hissed. "I can't- I don't know!"</p><p>Elara looked at Hermione, concern pulling her features in. "Hermione, I'm not sure Occlumency is going to work all the time. This is… it's <em>different</em>."</p><p>Before Hermione could answer, a silver wisp entered the room. They all froze, watching to see what would happen. Harry drew his wand just as the form of Mr. Weasley's weasel spoke.</p><p>"Family is safe. Do not respond. We're being watched."</p><p>Ron let out a deep breath. "They're safe." He said, half laughing as he sighed in relief. "Thank Merlin!"</p><p>"Can we stay in here tonight? All of us." Hermione said. "I think we should stay together."</p><p>"Yeah." Elara agreed. "I think we should."</p><p>"Yeah, that's fine." Harry said, his voice sounding tight. "I need to use the loo."</p><p>Elara watched as he disappeared, staggering against the wall. Her heart was racing and she could feel the pull of fury once more, even with Harry being out of the room.</p><p>"I'll be right back." She said, looking to Ron and Hermione.</p><p>Hermione nodded and Elara sped from the room, her stomach churning with the rage of Voldemort. She saw the light from under the door and knocked lightly. She waited a few seconds for a response. She could feel him on the other side of the door. Fear being strangled with fury.</p><p>"Harry?" She said, pushing the door open. "Harry, are you okay?"</p><p>He was curled in a ball on his side, panting and clutching his head. She shut the door behind her and fell to her knees beside him, reaching for his face. His eyes were shut tight, tears leaking down his face. His jaw was clenched as his nostrils flared from the uneven intakes of sharp breath.</p><p>"Harry, look at me." She whispered, her eyes searching his face, held between her palms.</p><p>
  <em>Fury. Disgust. Rage.</em>
</p><p>"Harry…" She begged. "Please, look at me."</p><p>His eyes snapped open and she stared into them, trying to push any type of calm into him, to pull the wrath in his head out and offer at least a sliver of relief. A sheen of sweat had broken out over his forehead and his eyes were rimmed in red.</p><p>"Draco." He said, his teeth grit together. "He's making Draco torture Rowle."</p><p>Elara gasped, dropping her hands from his face, and feeling hot tears fill her eyes. "No." She said, shaking her head. "No, he can't."</p><p>"He's <em>furious</em> Ellie. He threatened to feed Rowle to his snake." Harry sat up, his back against the clawfoot tub. "He knows we were there and that we escaped. And… And Draco is—</p><p>"Was he hurt?" She asked.</p><p>"No." Harry said, closing his eyes and shaking his head slightly. "No, he was threatening him. He looked terrible though, Ellie."</p><p>She closed her eyes, feeling a few tears slip from between her lashes. "Are you okay?" She asked, opening her eyes again and looking into his.</p><p>"Yeah." He breathed, his chest rising and falling in heavy pants. "Yeah, I will be."</p><p>She nodded, leaning forward and pressing her lips against his scar. She moved and sat next to him, settling his body between her legs and pulling him into her chest. She could feel his fear twisting through him, clawing its way through his mind as he tried to focus on righting his breathing. He snaked his arms around her waist, holding onto her for dear life as she cradled his head to her chest.</p><p>"It's going to be okay." She said, pressing her lips into his messy black hair. "It's all right, Harry. I know you've tried to sever it."</p><p>He was weeping, his tears sinking through the delicate fabric of her dress and wetting against her chest. Should feel every bit of the pain inside of him as he realized that Voldemort was in his head again. And she couldn't blame him. She couldn't fault him for being terrified of what that meant.</p><p>"I love you, Ellie." He whispered, after they had sat on the marble floor in the cradled position for so long that her backside had lost feeling.</p><p>"I love you too, Harry." She said, closing her eyes and burying her face in his hair again.</p><p>Her heart clenched. She knew leaving the Burrow would be difficult. She knew traveling would be dangerous. She didn't expect, however, that it would be <em>painful</em>. She had her suspicions as to what Draco would be doing at the Manor, she had hoped she was wrong. To have them confirmed by Harry through an open connection into Voldemort's head was terrifying. To know that there was nothing she could do to help either of them made her feel nauseous. Draco would be forced to act on the worst parts of himself and Harry would be forced to feel the most mind numbing and soul sucking wrath pulse through him at the hands of someone else. And there wasn't a thing she could do about any of it.</p><p>Slowly, they pulled themselves off the ground and walked back into the sitting room. Hermione had transfigured the two armchairs into cots and the couch into a double bed.</p><p>"I thought you two may want the bed." She said, her voice quiet. "Ron and I will take the cots tonight."</p><p>"Thanks." Elara said.</p><p>She pulled her knapsack from her back and dug through it, pulling out a pair of cotton pajama shorts and the large Weasley Wizard Wheezes shirt she had knicked from Fred. She walked back to the bathroom and changed into the pajamas and washed the blood from her face in the sink. She looked in the mirror and chuckled to herself, she had nearly forgotten she was transfigured.</p><p>"Hermione? Can we change my face back?" She asked, entering the sitting room.</p><p>"Yeah, I don't see why not." She said.</p><p>Once her face was her own again, she slipped under the sheets next to Harry. Ron used his deluminator to rid the lights and within minutes, Elara could hear the soft snores coming from his cot. It had certainly been an exhausting day and it was well into the early morning hours.</p><p>She turned to her side, facing one of the bookshelves and felt Harry scoot closer to her. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him as he tucked his chin into the crook of her neck. She closed her eyes and prayed to every deity she could think of that they could get some rest tonight. Merlin only knew what tomorrow would bring.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 14: A Crucio, A Bathtub, and a Picture</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Family by Noah Gunderson</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Burn by Ray LaMontagne</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Stay With Me by Angus &amp; Julia</em>
</p><hr/><p>Draco paced the gardens behind the Manor, reaching into a bucket and pulling out scraps of meat to give to the Fanged Geraniums. He had taken the chore over from Nimsy, most days. The only solace he had in the last fortnight was walking among the carnivorous plants as he thought of his sister. Hoping to Merlin that wherever she had ended up with Potter, that she was safe.</p><p>"It's warm tonight."</p><p>He turned around, his mother perching herself on one of the stone benches that lined that path.</p><p>"Yeah." He said, turning back to the flowers nipping at his hands, waiting to be fed. He handed over the meat and set the bucket on the ground, walking back to his mother as he cast a cleaning charm on his hands. "Did they leave?"</p><p>She nodded. "About an hour ago."</p><p>He sat next to her on the bench. "Father went with them?"</p><p>"He did." She confirmed.</p><p>"He doesn't have a wand." Draco said.</p><p>"He took mine."</p><p>"Mum…" He said, looking at her. "You can't-</p><p>She held up a hand. "I am here with you. I'm not worried about my wand."</p><p>His eyes roamed her tired face. Things had gotten better in the last few days. There were several meetings still, but none of them involved torture to any of them. They were planning. Pius Thicknesse had successfully procured everything he needed to overthrow Scrimgeour to take over. There were dozens of Ministry officials who had been <em>Imperiused</em> and they were all in place now to carry out what needed done.</p><p>Tonight, they would slaughter the Minister and claim their spot at the Ministry.</p><p>Draco stared back over the garden, his vision blurring as he lost himself in thought. He had been left behind, for what reason, he wasn't sure. But he was grateful. He was terrified of what may happen tonight. Of the havoc that would tear through the Ministry. He was sure they would lose followers. Perhaps, that very reason is the reason his Father was asked to attend. In hopes that he didn't make it out alive.</p><p>Draco shuddered at the thought.</p><p>He could remember a time when his father was <em>fearsome</em>. When he walked into a room and every person sat up straight and avoided making eye contact. He could remember when the name Malfoy meant power and respect.</p><p>Now it seemed to be synonymous with cowardice.</p><p>Not that Draco was doing anything to change that. He spent most of his time hiding in his room or tending to these blasted plants that Elara had loved so much. He even spent time in the kitchen with Nimsy, watching the house elf cook and helping her clean and prepare meals. He did everything he could to avoid being in the crossfire of Voldemort's wrath. Or worse—Bellatrix's.</p><p>After the beating he took when Potter was moved from his muggle family's home, he wasn't sure he'd live through that again. He was <em>tired</em>. He was broken and scared. He knew he had to play the part, to puff out his chest and do things he didn't want to do to protect his Mother, but he <em>so wished</em> he could disappear. He was waiting on bated breath for the start of term at Hogwarts. Praying to every deity he could think of that he would be allowed to go. To get away from this house and figure out a way to get to Elara.</p><p>He wanted to keep his mother safe, of course. But his father had proven that he would step in line for her. That he would put himself before her to be tortured and beaten bloody before letting anyone lay a hand on his wife again. It was the only redeeming quality Lucius had anymore. The only thing about him Draco still respected. The love the man had for his mother was apparent to anyone, and the only thing that made him fiercely menacing was someone threatening her.</p><p>He had proven it nine days ago, when one of Greyback's cronies had gotten a little too handsy. He had gotten out of line after one of the Dark Lord's meetings and decided he would try and hex Narcissa after she had proven the man wrong.</p><p>Lucius had grabbed Draco's wand from his hand and pointed it to the man, taunting him to speak ill against his wife again. Begging the man to try and harm her. When he did, he had gotten a <em>crucio</em> from Lucius that left him foaming at the mouth in a puddle of his own urine and vomit.</p><p>The man was still catatonic and unresponsive, thrown in the cellar with the other prisoners and left to rot in his torture created madness.</p><p>"There is rumor that The Order is attending a wedding this evening. A wedding that Harry Potter will surely be in attendance. Should he be captured, this will be the end of this imprisonment for us, my Dragon." She said, her hand coming to the back of his neck, lightly roaming through the hair that brushed his collar.</p><p>Draco pulled himself from his thoughts, his eyes dragging across the expanse of the garden before landing back on his mother's face. "And what of Ellie?"</p><p>"Your father will not rest until she is brought home to us." She said.</p><p>Draco nodded, looking down to the cobblestone path and staring at a beetle as it scuttled by. What if she doesn't <em>want</em> to be brought back home? She <em>chose</em> to disappear with Potter. She chose to defy the Dark Lord and ignore his calls of the Mark. She's always been <em>too good</em> for this. Too good to be a Death Eater. Too good to do the things Draco had been forced to do. She was better off with Potter and his friends and The Order. Draco knew that, even if the ache in his chest clenched every time he thought about it. If she were brought back here, what would happen to her?</p><p>Surely, the Dark Lord would not show her mercy twice? Surely, he would not allow her to openly defy him as she had and walk away unscathed.</p><p>"Your thoughts are loud, Draco."</p><p>He sighed and turned back to his mother's face. Her pale blue eyes staring at him, thoughtfully.</p><p>"Do you ever think we made a mistake?" He asked, his voice trembling as the whisper pulled from his throat.</p><p>"A mistake?" She asked, her forehead creasing.</p><p>He nodded. "Do you think… You ever think about what would have happened if we wouldn't have followed the Dark Lord this time?"</p><p>She seemed to contemplate his question a moment, her eyes flickering over his face. She shifted, her hands clasped in her lap and her ankles crossing. "Dwelling on 'what ifs' has never proven a fruitful path, Draco."</p><p>His eyes remained hard as he twisted his mouth to the side, trying to figure out whatever message was between the lines there. "Maybe not." He agreed. "But certainly, dreaming of a better life isn't a bad thing?" He asked.</p><p>"Having our head in the clouds in a luxury we cannot afford." She said. "We must focus on what is tangible."</p><p>"Ellie wouldn't be afraid to question it." He said, the words instantly falling off his tongue.</p><p>"Your sister has always pushed the boundaries on what is accepted of us." She said. "That does not mean that we should follow that example."</p><p>"So, if we were able to get out, you wouldn't take it. You wouldn't take the opportunity?" Draco asked, his gut twisting at the strange direction this conversation was taking.</p><p>She took a deep breath, blowing it slowly through her nose as her eyes finally fell from the side of Draco's face and scanned the garden. After several moments she spoke, her voice soft. "I do not know what I would do." She admitted. "But I know that if leaving meant it would put you or your sister in any further danger, I would let the Dark Lord keep me here forever."</p><p>Draco turned, facing his mother and noticed the tears that had gathered in her eyes. "Mum, I…" He trailed off, unsure of what to say.</p><p>She sniffed and blinked a few times, a wistful smile crossing her face that didn't quite reach her eyes. "It is of no matter, Draco." She said. "Your father will be back soon. We should return-</p><p>She was cut off by several popping sounds coming from the Manor.</p><p>"Ah. They've arrived a bit early. Hopefully with good news," She said, standing and taking Draco's hand, pulling him from the bench. "You had better go change. You know the Dark Lord expects you to be dressed appropriately."</p><p>He grunted in response and held his arm out to her, escorting her in through the large French doors that led into the back of the house. She took her leave to the drawing room to meet the others and Draco hurried up the stairs to his room, knowing that if he took too long he would be punished. He quickly changed from the relaxed trousers and light black jumper he was wearing to the usual tailored black suit and black Oxford button up he wore when there was a meeting. He threw his robes on quickly, doing a once over in the mirror to make sure he looked presentable and rushed back down the stairs, taking a deep breath to steel himself before entering the drawing room.</p><p>"The Dark Lord will be arriving soon." His father said, looking to him. "The Ministry is now under our command."</p><p>Draco nodded once. "That is good news."</p><p>As the others filed out of the drawing room and into the formal dining room, Lucius held his arm out to stop Draco from following. Draco looked to his father, his brows pulled together in confusion.</p><p>"I saw her." He whispered. "Her appearance was transfigured, but it was her. She asked if you were there. Said she loves you and your mother before she disapparated with the mud-blood girl and a couple of Weasley's."</p><p>"You let her go?"</p><p>"I was hit with a curse." He said. "But I would have let her go anyway. It's not safe for her here."</p><p>Draco stared at the man, shock stealing the air from his lungs. He opened and closed his mouth several times, feeling very much like a fish out of water, the words unable to form.</p><p>"You will not breathe word of this." He said.</p><p>"I won't." Draco agreed.</p><p>His father gave a curt nod and dropped his arm from the door frame, gripping his cane and walking toward the dining room.</p><p><em>She's okay. She's okay and she still loves you.</em> His heart sped up as relief blossomed through him. He knew she had no idea all of the terrible things he had done in the last two months, knew she had no idea the things he'd <em>seen</em>. But she still thought of him. She saw their father and she asked him to tell Draco that she loved him. And he hadn't realized how much he needed it.</p><p>He crossed through the doorway of the dining room with a new feeling in gut, spreading into the length of his limbs and gripping like a vice in his chest. <em>Hope</em>. Something he wasn't sure he had ever felt before. If she was out there, and she was okay, and she was <em>fighting</em>. They might make it out alive.</p><p>Draco sat, listening to the recount of the Ministry take over told by Snape to the Dark Lord. He tried to pay attention, tried to focus on something other than his sister, but he found his thoughts straying far away from the long mahogany table surrounded by cloaked men. Even the shrieking laughter of Bellatrix that usually sent needles down his spine passed through him to no consequence.</p><p>Where was she now? Was she still okay? She was with Granger and Weasley… more than one Weasley? That seemed unlikely. His mother has sounded sure that Potter would be at that wedding. Maybe he was polyjuiced? Or transfigured? If Ellie's appearance had been transfigured, it would be safe to assume they would hide Potter's as well. Potter had escaped their clutches weeks ago, she had to be with him.</p><p>"My Lord, Dolohov and Rowle were called to Muggle London by the Taboo."</p><p>Draco looked up, pulling his thoughts back into his own head and stuffing them into a compartment to analyze later.</p><p>"Excellent." The Dark Lord said. "We will await their arrival."</p><p>Suddenly, the sliver of hope that Draco had felt vanished. When Bellatrix suggested applying the taboo to the Dark Lord's name, as they had done during the first wizarding war, Draco knew it was only a matter of time before Elara would be captured.</p><p>Potter notoriously spat the name about, his arrogance defying all reason. The pompous prick would be the reason Elara got captured, Draco was sure of it.</p><hr/><p>An hour had passed and Draco was feeling nauseous as his anxiety sky-rocketed. What was taking so long for Rowle and Dolohov to return? Had there been a call from the taboo, it should have taken them within very close proximity of whoever said the name. It shouldn't take this long.</p><p>He tried to calm himself. Nearly the entire Order had been at that wedding, his father had confirmed that much. If people were disapparating to escape, there was a chance that it wasn't Potter that had used the name. It could have been any of them. There's a chance that she wouldn't have even been involved in any of it. That she got out quickly and safely and was hiding somewhere.</p><p>He looked up from the arm chair he sat in as he heard footsteps crossing through the foyer. He looked to his father, who had pulled to his feet, and followed suit. They walked through the house, recommencing their meeting in the dining room to hear what the wizards had to say.</p><p>"My Lord." Dolohov began.</p><p>Draco instantly felt ice run through him. Something had happened, something terrible had happened.</p><p>"You have kept us waiting long enough, Dolohov. My patience has been tested." He said, his voice low and terrifying, his enormous pet snake oiled around his shoulders. "What of the taboo?"</p><p>"M-my Lord, I a-apologize." Dolohov stammered. "We were unsuccessful in taking whoever called the Taboo."</p><p>"Who called it?" He hissed.</p><p>Dolohov looked to Rowle. "We don't know, My Lord."</p><p>"You. Don't. Know." He repeated, enunciating every syllable with fury as his crimson eyes turned to enraged slits against his greying flesh.</p><p>"I-I believe, My Lord, our memories have been tampered with." Rowle spoke up, his eyes darting to look at Dolohov. "We woke in a muggle café and-</p><p>"A MUGGLE CAFÉ?!" The Dark Lord bellowed, his fury shaking his words as they rang around the room. The snake hissed and slithered down the side of the chair, weaving its way around the table by their feet. The Dark Lord stepped from his chair and grabbed the back of Dolohov's neck, forcing him into the center of the room. He pressed his wand to his forehead, directly between his eyes and stared furiously at him as he said "<em>Legilimens."</em> And the man began to crumble, sinking to his knees.</p><p>Voldemort screamed in rage after only a few moments, grabbing at Dolohov's face, piercing his skin with his talon-like nails. He held the man's jaw in a vice grip, forcing him to look at him. The snake moved from under the table and began circling Dolohov.</p><p>"FOUR TEENAGERS!" He screamed. "HOW ARE YOU SO INCOMPETENT THAT YOU ARE UNABLE TO TAKE ON FOUR TEENAGERS?!"</p><p>Draco shuddered, his stomach falling into his feet.</p><p>"You hexed the girl and you didn't capture her?!" He shrieked again. "You didn't make it out with even <em>one</em> of these <em>children</em>?!"</p><p>"I'm sorry, My Lord! P-please f-forgive me!" Dolohov cried out as the Dark Lord shoved his face from his hand successfully knocking the man backward to the floor.</p><p>"It wasn't her my lord!" Rowle cried as Voldemort whipped around, pointing his wand at the other man. "It wasn't her! She had d-dark hair! She d-didn't look-</p><p>"Have you forgotten she is a <em>witch</em>?!" Voldemort screamed, sending a jet a blue light to the man's chest. "She was transfigured, you <em>swine</em>! I should feed you to Nagini!"</p><p>"P-please my Lord! How could we have known?!"</p><p>"Draco!" Voldemort barked, standing over the men. "Draco you will show these <em>failures</em> what happens when you are unable to perform!"</p><p>Draco stared in shock. "My Lord?"</p><p>"Do you need reminding?!" He screeched.</p><p>"N-no, My Lord." Draco said.</p><p>He stood, pulling his wand from his robes and pointed it at Rowle, his hand shaking. He had seen her. He had <em>cursed</em> her. <em>But she got away</em>, the voice in the back of his head reminded him.</p><p>His hesitancy brought a new scream of rage from Voldemort's throat as he shoved him to the side and onto the floor. He cast a <em>crucio</em> and Draco went blind as the hot knives shredded through him, tearing his muscles from his bones and stabbing deep into his organs, twisting them in a painful vice. It lasted only seconds; a kindness Draco had not been expecting.</p><p>"Get off the floor!" Voldemort roared, turning his wand to Dolohov and casting another torture curse, holding it far longer than the one he had just cast against Draco. "You will teach this poor excuse of a wizard what happens when you defy orders, when you defy the Dark Lord. I will show you no further kindness, Draco!"</p><p>"Yes, My Lord." Draco said, his hands twitching from the aftermath of the <em>Cruciatus</em>. He could feel the weight of the snake as it coiled around his feet. He pointed his wand at Rowle and swallowed the bile burning the back of his throat. <em>She's alive. She got away and she loves you. She's with Potter and they got away.</em></p><p>"<em>Crucio."</em></p><hr/><p>Elara's eyes opened slowly and she blinked several times, trying to clear the fog from her mind and make sense of her surroundings. Her entire body ached, her back felt as if she had been hit with a bludger and her head was pounding.</p><p>She felt the weight on her midsection and moved her hands down, feeling Harry's arms still wrapped around her. He seemed to be sleeping soundly now, she sighed in relief. He had been up periodically over the last few hours. She knew he tried not to wake her, but the terror and panic that was bubbling in his chest had seen to it.</p><p>She sat up carefully, removing his arm from her middle and trying to be a silent as possible. A bit of dusty light shone through the drapes. It must have still been very early. She groaned inwardly, knowing the chances of getting any more sleep were slim. She grabbed her knapsack and crept down the hall to the bathroom, quietly opening the door and stepping in, flicking her wand to turn the lights on.</p><p>She turned the water on in the tub, thankful that it was deep enough that she could soak her aching body for a while. She didn't know what curse had caught her in the back at the café, but it had certainly left her sore. She stripped her pajamas and folded them neatly, stacking them on the edge of the sink. She stepped into the warm water and let it consume her as she sank into the depths of the tub. She sighed, glad for the relief as she splashed the water to her face, scrubbing away the exhaustion of the night before.</p><p>She closed her eyes and leaned back, slipping her head beneath the water's surface and staying under as long as she could. When she emerged, sputtering and gasping for air, she thought of when she and Draco were children. The laughter as they played in the fountains on the Manor's grounds.</p><p>To be eight years old without a care of what was happening in the world would be a gift, right now.</p><p>When the water began to cool, she reached over the edge of the tub, feeling around for her wand and casted a heating spell on the water to warm it again. She wasn't ready to get out. Although her skin had pruned and her fingers were soggy, she felt warm and weightless for the first time in months.</p><p>She rested her neck against the curve of the porcelain and closed her eyes again.</p><p>She wasn't sure how long it had been when the door creaked open and she heard Harry's voice whisper "Ellie?"</p><p>"Hm?" She hummed, keeping her eyes shut.</p><p>"Can I come in?"</p><p>"Sure, Harry." She said, her voice calm and quiet.</p><p>"Ron and Hermione are still asleep, what are you doing up so early?"</p><p>"Couldn't sleep." She said. "What time is it?"</p><p>"Not quite six." He said. "Can I… Can I join you?"</p><p>She cracked open an eye and stared at him for a moment. He looked <em>exhausted.</em> She nodded. "Of course, you can." She sat up, feeling the water <em>whoosh</em> around her as she scoot forward in the large tub, making room for Harry. She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, laying her cheek on her kneecaps while she watched him undress.</p><p>She had the fleeting thought that maybe she should be embarrassed. Watching him undress like it was the most normal thing to be doing, while she was completely nude in the water. She couldn't bring herself to care enough to feel the embarrassment, though. It seemed insignificant. How could she still be shy around him? What was the point? She had felt his emotions in their rawest form. She had held him to her chest while he wept for everything that had happened. To still be embarrassed around physical nudity when you've felt someone so emotionally naked and vulnerable seemed <em>silly</em>.</p><p>He stepped into the water and sank down behind her, his legs on either side of her and his back against the clawfoot tub. He grasped her shoulder, pulling her back into his chest and wrapping his arms around her, lacing the fingers on both his hands with hers and resting his chin in the juncture of her neck and shoulder.</p><p>"Did you manage to get any sleep?" She asked, craning her neck to look at him.</p><p>"A little." He said. "You?"</p><p>"About the same."</p><p>She sighed, settling back into his chest and closing her eyes once more. She could feel the beads of the necklace he wore for her, pressing lightly into the back of her neck. Harry's mind was racing with emotions but they seemed to calm the longer they sat in the warm water. He peppered her head, neck, and face with soft kisses as she hummed a soft song, the song her mother used to sing to her before bed.</p><p>"We should get out." Harry said, after his skin had turned as soggy as hers. "Ron and Hermione will be awake soon, I reckon."</p><p>"You're probably right," She sighed.</p><p>Neither of them made any effort to move from the water.</p><p>Slowly, Harry's hands untangled from Elara's and crept down the flat of her stomach, tracing the skin between her thighs. She felt guilty, momentarily, wondering if she should tell him to stop. That it wasn't the right time, in light of everything that had happened in the last twenty-four-hours. However, the thought wouldn't form on her tongue and she found that she didn't particularly care. As his hand moved further down, the tips of his fingers lightly grazing the apex of her thighs, she sighed.</p><p>Maybe it was the exact right time for this. Maybe they both needed it, a distraction, a reminder that good things could still be felt, something to focus on besides the fear that had slept in their bed the night before.</p><p>A breathy moan escaped her as two of his fingers pushed into her heat, massaging her from the inside and swiping slow, lazy circles around her pearl with his thumb. Her head lolled back on to his chest as a low moan escaped her, her hips rising to meet his hand. His lips found their way to her neck, sucking slowly at the tender skin and her breath came in fast pants. She could feel him harden, pressing into her back. She grabbed his wrist, pulling his hand from her and she maneuvered around, facing him.</p><p>His eyes were dark and half lidded as he stared at her, his chest rising and falling in uneven pants as she straddled his hips and grasped his length, positioning him at her entrance before gripping his shoulder with her other hand and sinking down onto him.</p><p>"Fuuuuck." He sighed, a groan pulling from his throat as his head fell back. His hands snaked around her, gripping her hips with one hand and her bum with the other as she rolled her hips against him. Her hands twisted into his wet hair as he buried his face into her chest, nipping and sucking at her collar bones as he thrust into her.</p><p>The water moved around them, sloshing over the edge of the tub, soaking the black marble floor below it. Elara's breathy moans reverberated around them as Harry planted open mouthed kisses against her throat, his groans vibrating against her as her fingers dug into his back, pulling him as close to her as she could possibly be.</p><p>It was emotional, she realized. Not in the same way it had been when they had been alone at the Burrow or the times she had felt him at Hogwarts. It was desperate and heated. Impetuous, as the thoughts left her mind and she was completely consumed by Harry and the feel of him inside of her, of his fingers gripping her, hard enough to bruise, and the silky flat of his tongue laving at the column of her throat. His hand moving between them to caress her breasts as he bucked into her. Her lips crashing into his, moving against his mouth and pulling his bottom lip between her teeth.</p><p>Harry's movements quickened and she felt herself clench around him as the air pulled from her lungs on the ends of crying moans and breathy curses. She was falling off the edge of a cliff, plummeting into the depths of the chasm that was Harry, clinging to him for dear life as the galaxy exploded around her to the tune of his moaning prayers.</p><p>As they came down from the heights of their ecstasy, Elara wrapped her arms around Harry's neck, hugging him tightly to her as his arms tightened around her back, pulling her close in a crushing embrace. Their gasping breaths slowed and evened out, returning to normal. She blinked a few times, realizing her lashes were wet with hot tears.</p><p>Slowly, they pulled apart.</p><p>Elara stood, looking down at the marble floor and chuckled. "Most of the water is on the floor now."</p><p>Harry returned the laugh. "Worth it." He said, carefully stepping out of the tub, taking her hand to help keep her from slipping.</p><p>"Do you… Do you think we woke Ron and Hermione?" She asked, a flush of embarrassment coloring her cheeks as she realized how loud her cries had gotten.</p><p>"I don't know," He said, opening the small linen cupboard and pulling out a fluffy towel. He wrapped it around her before getting one out for himself. "And honestly, I don't care."</p><p>She laughed again, grabbing her soaked wand from the floor and casting a <em>Tergeo</em> to siphon the water up. She smiled as he leaned in and captured her lips.</p><p>"I swear I only came in here to take a bath with you." He said. "I wasn't planning on… on <em>that</em>."</p><p>"Are you upset about it?" She teased.</p><p>"Merlin, no." He said. "That was… I don't even know a word for it."</p><p>She thought on it, trying to come up with a sentiment that would appropriately convey the most mind-numbing euphoria she had ever felt. "I… I don't either."</p><p>He leaned down and kissed her again, his lips lingering against hers a bit longer this time. "I love you, Elara." He said. "And I know I've told you a thousand times over, you're probably tired of hearing it."</p><p>"I don't think I'll ever tire of hearing it, Harry." She whispered.</p><p>And that was true, she thought to herself as she dried off and pulled clothes from the knapsack. She had been so hesitant, so terrified to feel love for Harry. To open herself for someone other than her family… And now that she had, she wasn't sure she could figure out how to turn it off if she wanted to.</p><p>And she had <em>wanted to</em>. Months ago. She had <em>tried</em>. She was glad that she was unsuccessful.</p><hr/><p>Amazingly, their time in the bathtub had not woken Ron or Hermione. After depositing her knap sack back on the bed and creeping out of the room, they had decided to look around a bit. Harry wanted to see the state of Sirius' room and Elara was curious as to what the rest of the shabby old house held.</p><p>Harry took up the stairs to the next floor as Elara wandered the rooms on the first. Every room she walked into looked as if it had been torn through. Someone had definitely been here and searched the property. She wondered if Snape <em>had</em> returned, the way Harry thought he might. The was the Order thought he would. He must have gotten through the traps.</p><p>She wandered into the drawing room and saw it was pulled apart, the same as the other rooms she had walked through. The chairs were overturned and the large desk in the corner had every drawer pulled out, parchment and broken quills scattered around it. She looked to a large tapestry hanging on the wall. Portraits that looked to date back centuries were adorned with gold thread. Worn and burned in some places, she stepped closer, looking at the top.</p><p>"The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black: Toujours Pur"</p><p>Her breath hitched as her eyes scanned the tapestry. Right next to a burned hole she saw a younger version of her mother staring back at her, her father's name written in the banner next to hers. She pressed her fingertips to it, feeling a lump grow in her throat as she stared at the picture.</p><p>Her attention was brought away from the tapestry as she heard the rustling of Harry on the floor above her. She pressed her fingertips to her lips then back to the tapestry before turning around and exiting the room.</p><p>She found Harry crouched on the floor of Sirius's room. This room, like the others, looked to have been turned over. Unlike the others, it was covered in pictures and banners. Red and gold sashes hung from the walls and bikini clad muggle girls smiled at her from posters. She chuckled and felt the laughter die in her throat as she looked at Harry.</p><p>"Harry, are you okay?" She said, realizing his eyes were bright with tears as he clutched a piece of parchment.</p><p>"Yeah." He said, holding the torn note out to her. "It was a letter to Sirius from my mum."</p><p>She sank to her knees on the floor next to him, taking the letter and reading it over. She could tell it was a bittersweet thing for him to find. Something tangible of his mother's that he could hold onto, but something to remind him of the pain of the family he had lost, as well.</p><p>"There was a picture, too." He said, handing her the picture.</p><p>She smiled at it as she watched a chubby toddler, laughing wildly, zoom about on a small broom. "This is you?!" She asked, handing him the letter and staring at the photo.</p><p>He nodded. "Yeah. We had a cat, according to that letter. I wonder what it was called…" He trailed off, staring down at the crumpled parchment.</p><p>"You were a cute baby." She said. "Much cuter than I was."</p><p>He snorted. "I doubt that."</p><p>"It's true." She laughed. "Draco and I looked like troll babies! Neither of us had any hair and our eyes were far too big for our faces."</p><p>Harry laughed half-heartedly and Elara leaned forward, wrapping her arms around him. He had lost so much. She could feel the ache in his chest, the pain that he tried desperately to keep buried. It was blooming and had been since Dumbledore died. She could feel his uncertainty shrouded in fear and she wished she could do more to help calm the pain, something to take the ache from his heart.</p><p>She could feel his hope diminishing. His determination fading as he stared at the photograph and the letter. She could feel the wreckage of the last year seeping into him and her heart panged. He was breaking. His soul was falling to pieces under the weight of things too heavy for him to hold and she made a silent vow right then; as she slipped the pads of her thumbs under the frames of his glasses to swipe the tears that had spilled from his eyes away, to put those pieces back together and help him fight until they could fight no more.</p><p>Because he had fought for her. He had pulled her from the depths of her own mind, had showed her that she was worthy of love, worthy of freedom, of the ability to make her own choices. He had given her his trust when she didn't deserve it, had put his faith in her when he she tried to make him walk away. He had shown her that there was more than just bad and worse. There was good and better. That with as much Dark as there was, there was every bit of Light as well.</p><p>"I love you, Harry Potter." She whispered, pressing her lips to the lightning bolt scar on his forehead.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 15: High Tension</strong>
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  <em>Wild Horses (acoustic) by Bishop Briggs</em>
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  <em>No Sugar in my Coffee by Caught a Ghost</em>
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  <em>I Thought I Heard You Screaming by Benjamin Booker</em>
</p><hr/><p>Harry and Elara stood, hand in hand, staring at the plaque on the door.</p><p>
  <strong>Do Not Enter Without the Express Permission of Regulus Arcturus Black</strong>
</p><p>Elara's heart was thumping wildly against her chest.</p><p>Yesterday, after spending much of their time in Sirius's room, piecing back together what had been thrown about, they had lost all interest in moving through the upper floors of the house. Instead, the group focused on putting together the small dining room and sitting areas. Hermione and Elara spent a lot of time in the library they had slept in, going through books and cleaning it up. While Harry and Ron fixed the dining room furniture and cabinets.</p><p>Today, Ron and Hermione were on the first floor, working on fixing some of the furniture that had been broken. Harry and Elara decided to explore the rest of the house. To see if maybe they could find some information that the Order may have left behind. Or, at the very least, more pictures or letters that Harry could keep.</p><p>Harry had noticed the sign on the door first. Elara had been walking past to the next room over when he grabbed her hand and pulled her to his side, pointing to the plaque on the door.</p><p>"Harry…"</p><p>"I know," He said, staring straight ahead. "R.A.B."</p><p>"R.A.B." Elara repeated. "R.A.B! Harry! That <em>has</em> to be him! It-it just <em>has </em>to be!"</p><p>"What if it isn't?" He asked, pulling his eyes from the door to stare at her. She could feel the uncertainty, the doubt pulsing through him.</p><p>"What if it is?" She countered.</p><p>She understood his uncertainty. It couldn't <em>possibly</em> be that easy. It couldn't be so simple! It never was for them, for Harry. Every time an inch was asked of him, a mile was taken. It was <em>exhausting</em>. But this had to be it. This had to be the answer to the question of who R.A.B was. There <em>had</em> to be answers on the other side of that door.</p><p>"Hermione!" Harry yelled. "Ron!"</p><p>Elara gave Harry's hand a light squeeze. "We're going to find answers, Harry. I just <em>know</em> it."</p><p>He wasn't as confident. She knew he wasn't. She could feel the swirling of his doubt and fear pulling his gut to the floor. He didn't want to get his hopes up, she knew that. But they needed <em>something</em>. They all needed a win right now, and this would be a very big win.</p><p>Hermione reached the top of the stairs first. She panted a bit, catching her breath and pushed her wild curls behind her ears. "What? What is it?"</p><p>"R.A.B." Harry said, pointing to the sign on the door.</p><p>"R.A.B.?" She asked, her eyebrows furrowed together. She took a few steps closer, staring at the sign. Her face was almost comical when the realization fell over her. "Oh my! Oh my god! Harry!"</p><p>"I know." Harry said.</p><p>"RON!" Hermione bellowed, over her shoulder.</p><p>"Oi! I'm right here! No need to yell!" Ron said, walking toward them. "What's this about? What're you all staring at?"</p><p>Elara pointed to the sign. "R.A.B."</p><p>"Regulus… He was Sirius's brother, wasn't he?" Ron asked, staring at the sign.</p><p>Harry nodded. "Yeah. His younger brother."</p><p>"You don't reckon…?" Ron trailed off, looking at Harry.</p><p>"Dunno."</p><p>"We aren't going to find out by standing here, staring at the plaque on the door!" Elara said. She pulled her wand from the waistband of her denim shorts and unlocked the door. She twisted the handle and took a breath, pushing the door open and taking a step back.</p><p>She wasn't sure what she expected to see. She knew that it wasn't going to be as simple as opening the door to a room full of horcruxes, but she thought <em>maybe</em> there would be an obvious sign of <em>something</em>.</p><p>The room was just the bedroom of a teenage boy.</p><p>Large sashes and banners in green and silver that showed his Slytherin house pride draped from the walls and ceilings. It was tidier than Sirius's had been, but looked as if someone had gone through it. She noticed the picture on the wall of the Slytherin quidditch team.</p><p>Harry began opening drawers on the dresser as Ron scrambled under the bed, on his hands and knees looking under all of the furniture. Hermione and Elara both tried summoning the locket, with no luck. They moved every item in the room, turning over the mattress, emptying pockets of clothing, even pulling up floor boards that felt loose.</p><p>Nothing.</p><p>"Dammit!" Harry exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air before slamming the door to the wardrobe shut.</p><p>Elara jumped at his sudden outburst, looking up from the floorboard she had pulled up. "Why are you swearing at the wardrobe?"</p><p>"It's not… I'm not…" He sighed, taking his glasses off and rubbing a hand over his face. She sat back on her legs, her feet tucked under her, and looked at him, one eyebrow arched. "It's not the bloody wardrobe."</p><p>"Okay…" She said slowly, looking to Ron and Hermione.</p><p>They had both stopped their searching and looked at her, confusion swirling about them. Ron scrunched his face up a bit and gave the tiniest raise of his shoulders in a shrug.</p><p>"I thought we would find something!" Harry said. "I thought that with it being his room… I thought maybe it would be in here! Or <em>something</em> we could use! I just…"</p><p>Elara sighed, pulling herself to her feet and walking to him. She laid a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Harry. We've only been here a day. We'll find something."</p><p>"There's still a lot of places we haven't checked, mate." Ron said.</p><p>"When we came here the first time, we found all kinds of charmed cupboards and hexed trunks! Don't you remember, Harry?" Hermione began, rising to her feet as well. "That one cupboard that had those robes in it that tried to strangle Ron-</p><p>"Manky old robes! Nearly suffocated me!" Ron grumbled.</p><p>"We cleared out so much stuff. I'm sure we can…" Hermione became very quiet. Elara could practically see the cogs in her brain whirling around as her emotions went from confusion, to reassurance, to dread.</p><p>"What is it?" Elara asked.</p><p>"There was a locket," Hermione whispered, looking at her with eyes wide as saucers. "I-I remember it now. When we were cleaning out that cupboard. No one could get it open so we-</p><p>"<em>Gave it to Kreacher." </em>Harry hissed.</p><p>"Kreacher?" Elara asked.</p><p>Before she could get an answer, Harry had nearly sprinted from the room. Elara, Ron and Hermione took a second to look at each other before following after him. Their footsteps bounding down the stairs like stampeding cattle. They entered the dining room and Harry was pacing the floors.</p><p>"KREACHER!" Harry was bellowing the name over and over.</p><p>"What on earth…?" Elara asked, looking around them.</p><p>Harry's yelling had alerted the portrait on the wall near the entrance to their existence. She began screeching slurs and insults at the top of her lungs.</p><p>"Anything of value, Kreacher would have kept! He was so angry we were cleaning out the house!" Hermione explained. "And since Sirius died, Kreacher was left to Harry."</p><p>"A house elf!" Elara said, the realization dawning on her. "Harry, you have a house elf?"</p><p>"Unfortunately." Harry answered. "Where <em>is</em> he? I thought they had to-</p><p>
  <em>Crack.</em>
</p><p>"Master," The house elf said with a deep bow, his nose nearly grazing the floor. "Mublood and Weasley blood traitors and…" Elara saw the elf's eyes narrow, looking at her in confusion. "A Malfoy? A witch of pureblood and honor. Mistress Cissy's young daughter is part of the blood traitors and the-</p><p>"Kreacher!" Harry said. "I forbid you to call anyone a blood traitor or a mudblood."</p><p>Kreacher looked angry, but bowed again. "Yes, Master."</p><p>As Harry began questioning the elf, Elara walked to the foyer and closed the curtains on the wailing portrait of some ancestor of hers. The woman really was giving her a headache. She crossed back into the dining room and pulled a chair out, a small puff of dust coming up from the cushion as she sat.</p><p>She listened to the elf recount the story of Regulus and his locket. Disgusted, but not surprised, that Voldemort would use an elf as his test subject for a dangerous potion. Hermione looked positively green, her face set in a deep grimace. Ron looked slightly amused until he realized Hermione was looking at him, and then he frowned.</p><p>It was common knowledge to anyone who grew up around magic that house elves had to follow orders. What they hadn't been aware of, until this meeting with Kreacher, was just how far that law of magic stretched. According to Kreacher, he was able to apparate in and out of the cave. He was able to do things simply because his Master ordered it. He watched his Master kill himself to replace the locket and came back—because that's what he was told to do.</p><p>The elf was wailing now, sobbing his apologies to his long gone Master and crying about how he was unable to destroy the locket, so he kept it hidden.</p><p>"Kreacher," Elara interjected, looking at Harry to make sure it was okay to interrupt. Harry gave a small nod. The elf looked at her, clearly annoyed with being interrupted but stopped talking, all the same. "You kept the locket after it was put away for rubbish, right?"</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"So where is it now?"</p><p>"Gone."</p><p>"Gone?" Elara asked, looking to Harry. "Gone where?"</p><p>"Kreacher could not—Kreacher <em>tried</em> but he took it!" The elf lunged forward, his great sobs returning as he grabbed at the iron stoke by the fireplace. Harry tackled him to the ground and sat upon him. The elf struggled and cried, beating his head into the ground.</p><p>"Stay still, Kreacher!" Harry ordered. "Now, where is the locket? If you don't have it, where is it?"</p><p>"That slimy man came and went through Kreacher's things!" He cried. "He took Master Regulus's locket and Mistress Cissy's pictures-</p><p>"You had pictures of my mother?" Elara asked.</p><p>"Mistress Cissy and Mistress Bella," Kreacher answered, looking pleased with himself. "But the man took them!"</p><p>"Who took them?" Harry asked.</p><p>"Harry, you're crushing him," Hermione said. "Let him up!"</p><p>"So, he can stab himself? I think I'd rather not," Harry said. "Who took them, Kreacher?"</p><p>"Mundungus Fletcher."</p><p>Elara saw red. She stood up from her chair at the table and shoved her hands through her hair, pushing the strands behind her shoulders and trying to find a physical way to remedy the fire that had erupted in her chest at the sound of the name.</p><p>"That- that greasy, <em>boneless</em> man!" She shouted, her hands balled at her sides. "No <em>wonder</em> the house had been ripped apart! That smarmy pig must have come here and gone through everything, Harry!"</p><p>She barely knew Mundungus, but she knew enough to know that she hated him. He was a coward. He had run the second things got tough when retrieving Harry and hadn't been seen since! He could have helped! He <em>should</em> have helped! If he had not been so spineless, Mad Eye may still be alive! She watched a man die because he was too afraid to act. She was angry.</p><p>"It would make sense," Ron agreed. "Dung was always trying to get his hands on anything he thought he could pawn off for a few sickles."</p><p>Harry finally stood up, releasing Kreacher from his weight. He began pacing the room again, jamming his hand through his hair and clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Now what?!" He roared, kicking a side table. "Now what do we do?!"</p><p>"We fetch him." Hermione said, her voice thoughtful. "We ask Kreacher to find him for us."</p><p>"You're brilliant!" Harry said. "Kreacher, can you do that? Can you find Mundungus?"</p><p>"Kreacher will not rest until Mundungus Fletcher is brought to you, Master."</p><p>"Fill the kitchen first though, would you? I'm famished." Ron said.</p><p>Elara chuckled as Harry gave the orders to the elf. Finally, they may be able to figure something out.</p><hr/><p>Elara was pushing the stew around in her bowl. She was hungry, at least her stomach kept grumbling at her as if it were, but every bite she took made her nauseous. She had too much on her mind. Her father at the raid of the wedding, hoping all of the guests got out okay, Harry and his plummeting mood, how Dolohov and Rowle found them at the café, the locket…</p><p>Her mind was swimming with everything that had happened in the last three days.</p><p>Not to mention, the mood in the house had become rather foul. Ron was worried, constantly fidgeting with his deluminator, turning the lights on and off constantly. Hermione was muttering under her breath as she translated the book Dumbledore had left her and Harry was constantly pacing, tossing around the snitch he had been left and talking to no one in particular about theories he had.</p><p>Everyone was on edge, and it was giving Elara a migraine.</p><p>On top of the ache in her skull accompanied by everyone's foul moods, her arm had been on fire since they arrived at Grimmauld place. The mark was constantly twisting and writhing beneath her skin, beckoning her to answer the call of the Dark Lord and punishing her refusal. She was afraid to remove the bracelet that kept the glamour charm in place. She feared the state of her skin should she remove it.</p><p>She had also settled on the realization that she needed to save as much of the dampening potion as possible. There may come a time where she <em>really</em> needed it, and it wouldn't do to take it now. She was irritated that she hadn't gotten the recipe from Fred before the wedding. Not that she could have known what would happen.</p><p>Concluding that her stomach may betray her if she continued to eat, she got up from the table and took her bowl into the kitchen, vanishing the food and cleaning it out by hand. She then walked back into the dining room and peeked out the window.</p><p>She took in a sharp breath.</p><p>There, standing in the square on the street were two cloaked figures.</p><p>"Harry?" She called, keeping her eyes trained on the figures outside. "Harry, come here."</p><p>She heard his chair pull away from the table and felt him next to her. She shifted to the side to point out the window.</p><p>"Shit," He breathed, his eyes going wide. "Death Eaters."</p><p>She nodded. "Those are definitely their robes."</p><p>"Death Eaters?" Hermione said, standing from the table, looking alarmed.</p><p>"In the street," Harry confirmed. "There's two of them."</p><p>"How would they know we're here?" Ron asked, looking up from his bowl.</p><p>"They don't," Elara said. "If they did, there would be a swarm of them. They're probably watching anywhere that was connected with you, Harry… Or-or me. That's why they're stationed around Blaise!"</p><p>"How do you know they're at Zabini's?"</p><p>"The coin," She explained. "I found that coin Hermione gave us to communicate over Christmas hols. Blaise had sent me messages, asking if I was okay. He said they had tortured his mum…" She trailed off, her throat feeling thick.</p><p>Harry walked back to his chair, leaning forward with his elbows pressed into his knees. His hands were balled in fists and his chin rested upon them. Elara lingered in the window another minute or so, trying to get a glimpse of a face. The men were wearing masks, and she felt frustration filter through her.</p><p>The idea of every location they may possibly find safety being watched or guarded made her stomach churn unpleasantly.</p><hr/><p>The following day, Elara sat alone in the dining room. Harry had gone back into Regulus's room, after they had gotten into a rather ridiculous argument lead mostly by Harry's bad mood. He mumbled something about going to search through it for <em>anything</em> that may be useful and stomped up the stairs. Ron and Hermione had been bickering all afternoon and finally got tired of each other, finding different corners of the house to separate themselves and focus on something other than their annoyances.</p><p>Elara was sitting at the table with her head pillowed on her arms. The burning of her left forearm had become almost unbearable and she was beginning to feel nauseous from the pain of it. Coupled with her irritation with Harry's bad attitude and the constant bickering between Ron and Hermione, she found herself unable to deal with the ache in her arm. She pulled her wand from the waist band of the shorts she had been wearing for a few days, and pointed it at her forearm, muttering the spell she had become familiar with while at Hermione's and the Burrow. She winced as it cut through her flesh and the blood began to pool.</p><p>It was dark and shimmery, she swore she saw a wisp of black smoke puff from her arm when the spell cut her open. She sighed as relief flooded her. She wasn't sure exactly why the blood-letting of the dark magic worked, why she felt relief from the twisting and painful call of the mark when she did it, but she was thankful that it seemed to work. She knew how it looked. She knew she should stop using this form of release, look for better options to remove the mark. But it was the only thing that eased the pain. The longer she ignored the mark's call, the more infected with darkness she felt.</p><p>Her head swam with terrifying images of mistakes she made, of choices she made, of words she said. Her nightmares filled with Voldemort and her Father. The terrifying look of her father's face when he thought she had come to their side, when he thought she had completed the task with Draco. The way Voldemort's talon-like nails gripped her jaw and pierced her skin. The swimming of fury in red eyes and the chilling baritone of his voice.</p><p>As she lost herself in her thoughts, she didn't hear the front door open. It was only when the roaring of the portrait of Walburga Black began, that she realized someone had entered the house.</p><p>She scrambled to her feet, ignoring the blood dripping off her arm as she rounded the corner of the room, wand pointed outward as the terrifying cloud of dust that was meant to scare off anyone rose from the carpet, soaring forward and disappearing in a cloud of despair as the intruder alerted it that it was not the killer.</p><p>She recognized the voice, but in the dim light and the screeching of the insults from the portrait, she couldn't place who it was.</p><p>"Who's there?!" She called out, pointing her wand at the figure in the door way.</p><p>"It's Remus Lupin," He replied.</p><p>"Prove it," Elara said, taking a few steps closer to him. "Prove that it is."</p><p>"I questioned you while you were under <em>Veritaserum</em> with Arthur Weasley and Alastor Moody. Hermione Granger was present as well. You told me that you loved Harry Potter, and that was why you were willing to help us."</p><p>She lowered her wand, shuffling toward the portrait who was now screaming <em>"My Traitorous blood line consorting with filthy half breeds in my house!"</em> and yanked the curtains shut to drown the shrieking out. She pursed her lips, folding her arms over her chest and pointedly looking Lupin over.</p><p>"How did you know we would be here?"</p><p>"I didn't," He answered. "It was the last safehouse to be checked. You know you have Death Eaters-</p><p>"Outside, in the square. Yeah," She said, nodding. "We know. They've been there since yesterday."</p><p>He stared at her a few moments; his eyes slightly narrowed as he looked her over. "You're bleeding."</p><p>She looked down at her arm and sighed, hoping that whatever blood got on her shirt would come out. "I know," She said. She cast a quick healing charm and a <em>scourgify</em>, hissing a breath between her teeth at the rough cleaning spell. "How did you get here without them following you?"</p><p>"I had to apparate very precisely to the top step," He said. "It wasn't all that easy. May I come in?"</p><p>She slowly nodded, turning her back and walking toward the dining room. "I'll go get Harry for you," She said.</p><p>"Actually, I'd like to speak to you for a moment, if that's okay?"</p><p>She turned back to face him and her brows pulled together in confusion. "Me?"</p><p>He nodded.</p><p>"Why?" She asked, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.</p><p>Lupin motioned to the table and he removed his cloak, tossing it over the back of one of the chairs before sitting. She just noticed the small bag he had with him, as he set it on the table and began digging through it. He pulled out a piece of parchment and handed it to her.</p><p>"Fred gave me this to give to you. After we checked the other safe houses and realized they had all been raided and you lot were nowhere to be found, I assumed you may be hiding out here. Fred, Arthur, and Bill were with me when I decided to come here. He said to give this to you and that Hermione could help you with it since—these were his words not mine; you're rubbish at potions."</p><p>She chuckled, opening the folded piece of parchment to see Fred's slanted scrawl inside.</p><p>"<em>Ellie,</em></p><p>
  <em>Here's the recipe for your potion that I promised you. It's a bit finnicky in preparation of ingredients, but once they're ready, it goes quick. Make sure you stew the porcupine quills for three hours, not a minute over. Use the same method as a basic calming draught, or have Hermione do it since you're rubbish at potions.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kava Kava Root – 1 whole – Dried, powdered, kneaded in warm water for fifteen minutes</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lavender Pods – 2, whole</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Doxy Egg – 1, crushed</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Porcupine Quills—3, stewed</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Horklump Juice—7 drops</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Flobberworm Mucous—11 drops at beginning of brew, 3 drops at end</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Powdered Moonstone – 1 pinch</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Add a bit of sugar since you think it tastes so bad.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Take care of yourself, don't get blown up. You know where to find me if you need me.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Don't forget to laugh.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>-Fred"</em>
</p><p>She looked down at the note for longer than it took for her to actually read it, smiling at the parchment as she felt her throat grow thick.</p><p>"You said they raided the other safe houses?" She asked, finally looking up from the parchment to Lupin.</p><p>He nodded, "They did."</p><p>Just as she opened her mouth to ask him another question, she heard Harry come down the stairs. "Ellie? Ellie? Love, I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier, I just…" His voice trailed off as he rounded the corner and saw Remus sitting at the table. "Remus?"</p><p>"Hello, Harry," He said, rising to his feet to give Harry a quick embrace. "Ron and Hermione around?"</p><p>"Yeah," Harry nodded, turning back and walking to the foot of the stairs. He bellowed Ron and Hermione's name, telling them to come down to the dining room at once. He walked back into the dining room and sat at the table next to Elara, leaning over to give her a peck on the cheek. "How'd you know we would be here?"</p><p>"I didn't," Lupin said. "Lucky guess."</p><p>After a few moments, Ron and Hermione both came into the room and exchanged similar sentiments of confusion. Once everyone was settled, Lupin began explaining what had happened after the wedding and the questioning that took place. Elara felt her stomach twist uncomfortably when he mentioned that several people had been tortured. She was glad to hear they were okay, but she was still upset.</p><p>Those people had been tortured for hiding Harry, for hiding her.</p><p>"How did they get through all the protective charms?" Harry asked, "There were loads of them!"</p><p>"They have the entire Ministry on their side now, Harry." Lupin explained. "Without the fear of consequence-</p><p>"They can do whatever they want," Elara interjected. "There's no fear of being thrown in Azkaban. They can be as brutal and forceful as they want to be."</p><p>"Exactly," Lupin agreed. "There's one more thing you need to see."</p><p>Lupin began to explain the fall of the Ministry and what that entailed as he pulled open his bag. He explained that Pius Thicknesse was appointed Minister and how the public was accepting Scrimgeour's murder as a resignation without cause.</p><p>He went back to his bag and dug around for moment, pulling out a copy of the Daily Prophet and tossing it in front of Harry. Elara's eyes instantly widened. On the cover, was a large picture of Harry with a wanted add attached to it. "For questioning about his hand in Dumbledore's death? What is this rubbish?!" She said, outraged.</p><p>"They can't do that!" Ron cried. "How can they? No one would believe this!"</p><p>"It's a stroke of genius," Lupin said. "With Thicknesse in office, people are confused. They're scared and they have no idea who to trust. They pit the public against Harry and try to flush you all out. That's not all though, flip to page two."</p><p>Harry opened the newspaper and Elara looked over his shoulder and scoffed, her face wrinkling up in disgust. Harry passed the page to Hermione who read the article about the Muggleborn Registration Commission. Ron looked green as Hermione read the article.</p><p>"Theft," He scoffed. "How can they steal magic?! That doesn't even make sense! If you could steal magic, there wouldn't be any squibs, would there?! The people won't let this happen!"</p><p>"It is happening, Ron," Lupin said. "As we speak, Muggleborns are being rounded up and sent to the Ministry's holding cells to await trial. They have to prove their magic is theirs."</p><p>"What about Hogwarts?" Hermione asked, "What about new students?"</p><p>"New students and current alike are being forced to return. Before you could study abroad or be homeschooled, now they're forcing students to attend Hogwarts to keep the entirety of wizarding Britain under watch."</p><p>"I was homeschooled, up until last year," Elara said. "They can't believe that Hogwarts is the only way-</p><p>"No," Lupin said. "But it's the only way to round up eleven-year-old muggleborns."</p><p>"That's disgusting," Hermione said.</p><p>"It is," Lupin agreed.</p><p>They continued talking about the implications of this registration commission and what that meant. When there was a lull in conversation, Elara excused herself to go to the kitchen and put a kettle on. She needed to think a moment, clear her head.</p><p>She felt nauseous.</p><p>As they talked about the idea of rounding up muggleborns and putting them in prison, she couldn't help but think about her father and his role in this. About her mother and what she would have to say about it. About Draco. Were they <em>okay</em> with this? Were they okay with knowing they were essentially sending dozens of witches and wizards to their deaths, simply for being muggleborn? She knew her parents carried the pureblood prejudice that drove their views to the dark, but she couldn't see them supporting something this… this obscene.</p><p>She loaded up a tray with mugs, cream, and sugar and carried it back out to the table. Lupin was asking Harry to join them in their task and she could tell that Harry hadn't told him what they were doing. Hermione seemed concerned about Tonks, asking Lupin if she was okay with this decision. He seemed reserved in his answer but Elara could feel the shift in his mood.</p><p>
  <em>Fear. Anger. Uncertainty. Hatred.</em>
</p><p>She nearly dropped the tray as the feeling of hatred pulsed through her.</p><p>They had <em>seemed</em> happy. Granted, she didn't really know them, but she wouldn't have thought them to be an unhappy couple. The few times she had crossed paths with them over the summer, they always seemed pleasant around one another. Like they enjoyed each other's company.</p><p>She set the tray down and walked back to the kitchen to fetch the kettle. When she came back out, Lupin had stood from his chair, which was now laying on its side.</p><p>"You don't understand!" He said. "You don't-</p><p>"Then explain it to me," Harry said, his jaw clenched and his arms folded over his chest.</p><p><em>Anger. Frustration. Disbelief</em>.</p><p>"I should have never married Tonks! And with my- my <em>affliction</em>! I don't know if-</p><p>"Hang on," Elara interrupted, setting the kettle down and settling in her chair. "Your affliction?"</p><p>"I'm a werewolf!" Lupin snapped, "And Harry you just don't understand! I've <em>tainted</em> her and I didn't even know that… My kind doesn't usually breed! I have no idea if-</p><p>"Hang on," She interrupted again. "I'm sorry, but I need you to back pedal a bit. Did you say you're a werewolf?"</p><p>Lupin looked near-crazed. He had his hands tugging at his hair and his chest was rising and falling in rapid pants of angry breath. His eyes went wide and then narrowed into fierce slits as he stared at Elara. His jaw tightening. Harry shifted next to her and raised an eyebrow at her.</p><p>"Yes," Lupin spat. "Is that a problem for you too?"</p><p>She chuckled. "Merlin, no."</p><p>Finally, he released the tightness in his jaw and furrowed his brows together. "I don't understand," He said.</p><p>"I'm just shocked, is all. I've seen werewolves. You are not the first one I've been around, Mr. Lupin. Or, have you forgotten that my family is in throes with the likes of Fenrir Greyback?"</p><p>He scoffed. "Certainly, I haven't."</p><p>"And you believe you're in the same category as him?" She asked.</p><p>"Category?" Lupin asked, "Category? I'm a <em>werewolf</em>, Elara. It hardly matters what type! I can't allow a child to be brought into a world with a father that-</p><p>"That runs away from him?" Harry said, standing from his chair. "You think that's okay? You think you can just ditch Tonks and your unborn baby to go on the run with us? Fancy a bit of adventure?"</p><p>Elara felt the shift in the mood again as Harry spoke, goading Lupin into an argument. She thought she could maybe make him understand that there were good and bad in <em>all</em> types of people. She certainly knew that better than most, but Harry had taken over the conversation. His anger fueling his words as he spit venom at the man in front of him.</p><p>"That child would be ashamed!" Lupin cried.</p><p>"Remus!" Hermione said, her voice higher pitched than normal. "Don't say that! Your child wouldn't be ashamed of you!"</p><p>"Oh, I don't know Hermione," Harry said, his eyes darkening. "I would be pretty ashamed of him."</p><p>"Harry!" Elara said, her eyes widening. "Harry, you need to take a moment-</p><p>"I don't," He said, a small shake of his head. "If this new regime thinks muggleborns are bad, imagine what they would think of a half werewolf whose father is in the Order? My father <em>died</em> trying to protect my mother and me, do you reckon he'd tell you to go on an adventure with us?"</p><p>"Harry…" Elara warned, feeling the heaviness of the room escalate into pure fury. "Harry, I think you've made your point."</p><p>"I don't think I have," He said. "I'd like to know. You trying to fill Sirius's shoes?"</p><p>"Harry!" Hermione said, sharply.</p><p>He looked at her, his eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched tight. He took long strides, walking toward Lupin and glaring at him as he tried to explain himself.</p><p>He was <em>furious</em>. Absolutely irate. Elara wasn't sure she had ever felt Harry so angry before, not without Voldemort pumping it into him, at any rate. She stood from her chair, looking at Ron and Hermione. Ron looked completely shocked and Hermione looked to be on the verge of tears. She took a few quick steps, closing the distance between herself and Harry. She gripped at his shoulder.</p><p>"I'm not—It's not for glory or- or something! You're <em>teenagers</em>! You shouldn't be out there doing these things alone!" Lupin said, his voice shaking with anger and his face livid.</p><p>"Who would have thought?" Harry said. "I certainly wouldn't have."</p><p>"Harry, I think that's enough." Elara said, moving her hand up slightly to touch the skin on his neck. "We need to all just take a moment and calm down."</p><p>"I don't need to do anything." Harry snapped, his glare fixating on her for a moment. "Take your hand off of me, Ellie."</p><p>"No," She challenged. "I won't. You need to calm down Harry, before you say something you'll regret."</p><p>"Oh, I don't think I'll regret making sure he knows what he's doing. Making sure he understands <em>exactly</em> what kind of person he is."</p><p>Lupin looked to her, a pleading in his eyes before they shifted back to the hardened anger that had consumed them. Elara slipped her hand under the collar of Harry's shirt, pressing her palm against his skin and trying to project a calming to him.</p><p>Harry grabbed her wrist with a bruising grip, tearing her hand away from him. "Get your hand off of me, Elara." He spat. His voice full of fury and betrayal.</p><p>She rubbed at her wrist and narrowed her eyes at him. "You're making a mistake, Harry."</p><p>"You know, I don't think I am," He shouted at her. He turned back to Lupin, his index finger pointed at him, "You, however, need to go back to your wife, and your child and-</p><p>"And continue to ruin their lives?!" Lupin yelled.</p><p>"I would have never thought the man that taught me to fight off dementors to be a <em>coward</em>!" Harry shouted.</p><p>Elara saw Lupin pull out his wand and watched as the hex hit Harry, square in the chest, sending him flying backward into the wall. Hermione yelled out in shock as Ron swore loudly. Lupin snatched his bag off the table and spun on his heel, tearing out of the room. Elara jumped when she heard the door slam shut, waking the portrait once again to scream her insults.</p><p>Elara was furious.</p><p>She hurried over the portrait, closing the curtains that covered it to cease the shrieking and marched into the dining room. Harry was pulling himself off the floor, groaning and rubbing the back of his head.</p><p>"Harry James Potter!" Elara said, her chest rising with angry breath. "How <em>dare </em>you treat your friend that way! How <em>could</em> you? How could you say those terrible things?!"</p><p>"Don't start with me!" He snapped. "He had it coming! Saying marrying Tonks was a mistake! Hell of a mistake to make!"</p><p>"You shouldn't have called him that-</p><p>"What else should I have called him then, Ron?!" Harry roared.</p><p>"Stop it!" Hermione said. "Stop arguing!"</p><p>"I'm not arguing!" Harry yelled.</p><p>"Don't start on her!" Ron said, his face turning as red as his hair.</p><p>"Good <em>Godric</em>!" Elara yelled. "Enough! That's enough! Harry, sit down. Ron, be quiet. Hermione, make some tea, would you? We all need to just <em>calm down</em>. You're giving me a migraine!"</p><p>Ron and Hermione both sat back in their seats. Hermione immediately reached for the kettle and began pouring the tea into the mugs. Ron grumbled, but remained mostly quiet. Harry, on the other hand, was furious still. Pacing the room and jamming his hands through his hair.</p><p>Elara pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes, sighing in frustration. "I understand you're angry Harry-</p><p>"Parents shouldn't leave their children!" He said. "They shouldn't leave them unless… Unless they have to!"</p><p>Through the fury, a deep sadness came. Crashing over Elara like waves on a shore. She felt heavy with it, soaked in the undertone of desperation in his voice and the loneliness of loss. She took a deep, slow breath, closing her eyes for a ten count. She was livid, and her wrist ached from the way he had wretched her arm away from him, but he needed to calm down. She walked over to Harry and placed her hand on his shoulder.</p><p>"Harry, look at me," She said.</p><p>"No!" He spat.</p><p>"Harry, you know I can do this even if you don't. But I'd much prefer it if you did." She said, quietly.</p><p>"Do what?" Ron whispered.</p><p>Harry sighed, turning around to look at her. She stepped closer to him, reaching up to cup his face in her hands. Her lips pulled down into a frown as she looked in his eyes. Emeralds swimming with pain and anger. The anguish clouding his mind was thick and heavy. She took in a slow breath and released it, projecting calm into Harry, carding through his thoughts to find something for him to hang on to. She could see his eyes beginning to wet and she stood up on her tip toes, pressing her lips to his in a gentle kiss.</p><p>"Better?" She asked, after she pulled away.</p><p>He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah."</p><p>"Good."</p><p>"Couldn't have pulled that trick out sooner?" Ron asked, a smile twitching on his lips.</p><p>"I tried," She said. "They wouldn't look at me."</p><p>"Sorry," Harry said, finally sitting down and accepting the mug Hermione offered him.</p><p>"You really shouldn't have said those things to him, Harry." Hermione said.</p><p>"I know," Harry admitted. "I know. I was just… If it gets him to go back to Tonks, it will be worth it."</p><p>"Will it?" Elara asked.</p><p>Harry shrugged one shoulder up, pulling the copy of the Prophet that Lupin had brought them, towards him. He opened it up and began to sip at his tea as his eyes scanned over the pages.</p><p>She was still furious with him, but she took a few deep breaths to get her mind under control before speaking again. "Harry?"</p><p>He looked to her and she noticed Hermione staring at them above the rim of her mug. Ron was staring at the table, his fingers drumming against it. "Yeah?"</p><p>"You ever grip my wrist like that again, and I'll be the one to hex you into a wall," She said. Her voice coming out in a quiet, dark tone.</p><p>Hermione sputtered on her tea and Ron's fingers stopped drumming on the table.</p><p>Harry set the Prophet down and looked at her. <em>Shame. </em>"I- I'm sorry, Ellie."</p><p>"I know you are. Consider it your warning," She leaned over and pressed her lips to his temple before standing up and making her way up the stairs and into the library.</p><p>They had only been here three days and tensions were already running hot. Everyone was on edge and lashing out at one another. What would happen after three weeks? Three months?</p><p>She hoped they found some answers soon.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 16: Heat of the Flame</strong>
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  <em>Rivers and Roads by The Head and the Heart</em>
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  <em>Flaming Hot Cheetos by Clairo</em>
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  <em>A Walk Through Hell by Say Anything</em>
</p><hr/><p>Elara gasped for air as the water rushed around her. She sat up, sputtering and coughing, wiping her wet hands across her face as she drew in long, deep breaths. She had held her breath much longer that time. She pushed her soaked hair from her face and settled back against the porcelain of the tub, closing her eyes as she caught her breath.</p><p>She used to play this game with Draco, when they were children.</p><p>She remembered it vividly, the summers at the Manor, before Draco left for Hogwarts. There was a large pond off the back of the property where the horse stables had been, and they often lazed about in the water on particularly hot days. Draco had teased her mercilessly for never learning how to swim, but she could hold her breath longer than he could, so she took it as a win.</p><p>"<em>You can't hold your breath as long as me because you have to fill the air with the sound of your own voice!" </em>She would tell him.</p><p>She allowed her mind to wander to thoughts of her brother. In the last year, Draco had essentially become a different person. When they were younger, he was so full of energy. He was magnetic, always leading his group of friends around the Manor, playing pranks on one another and causing their mother and father headache more often than not. He laughed often, a loud, shaking laugh that came from his chest and pulled tears from his eyes. It was contagious, his laugh. Even when she was angry, her fists clenched at her sides because he had, yet <em>again</em> charmed her humming bumble-plums to sing his favorite Weird Sisters song, she couldn't help but laugh.</p><p>Now that she thought about, she couldn't remember a time all of last year that he had laughed like that. The thought of that made the burning in her gut come alive. The Death Eaters and Voldemort had taken so much from her and Draco. Sure, her family was <em>alive</em>. But was it really living when you lived in constant fear? When you've been stripped of who you had been to be replaced with a terrifying shell of yourself?</p><p>She sighed and wondered what he must be doing now. Was he attending the meetings the Death Eaters were surely having? Was he being tortured? Was he torturing others? Was he even <em>alive</em>? She felt her chest constrict at that thought. He was, she knew he was. Their father wouldn't allow him to be killed in their own home, he said he wasn't at the wedding but he didn't give her the impression that it was because he wasn't alive. She hoped he was okay. Well- as okay as one could be in a house with Voldemort. She wondered if maybe it was him outside, pacing around the square, waiting for them to leave.</p><p>Or maybe, he and Blaise were getting ready to go back to Hogwarts for the new term?</p><p>She felt nauseous as she thought of Blaise. Would he have seen Draco since the term ended? Would he be okay? And his poor mum! Emiliana had long offered a place to hide, a place to escape. Of course, she would be targeted. She was fabulously wealthy and famously neutral. If the Death Eaters hadn't already recruited her, Elara would be surprised if the Order didn't try to. She was certain to have some connections with foreign Ministers and people of power. Would she even allow Blaise to return to Hogwarts? Would he have to go, if the Ministry is making attendance mandatory?</p><p>She sighed, scrubbing her hands over her face.</p><p>"Ellie!" Harry yelled from the stairwell, "Ellie, come downstairs, please! Quickly!"</p><p>She furrowed her brow as she stood up as fast as she could, stepping out of the tub, she lost her footing and landed hard on her hip. Her elbow hit the porcelain on the way down and she groaned as she pulled herself back up. She yanked the plush white robe off the back of the door and slipped into it, tying it around her waist and grabbed her wand off the counter.</p><p>She padded down the stairs, leaving a trail of wet footprints behind her as she went. "Harry?" She called, "Harry, is everything okay?"</p><p>"Yeah, just… Can you come in here?"</p><p>He was in the dining room, judging by his voice. She walked through the threshold of the door, rubbing the elbow she had hit when she slipped and her eyes went wide. There, laying face down to the wooden floor with Harry's knee in his back, was Mundungus Fletcher.</p><p>Kreacher was prattling on about how he was difficult to find, but Elara couldn't hear him. All she could see was white, hot rage. "You!" She shouted, pointing her wand directly at the man. "You absolute <em>swine</em>!"</p><p>At some point, Kreacher had gone into the kitchen and returned with a large, heavy bottomed frying pan. He had begun to swing mercilessly at Mundungus.</p><p>"Kreacher! We need him conscious!" Harry said, trying to suppress his laughter.</p><p>"Maybe one more? For luck," Kreacher said.</p><p>Ron snorted in response.</p><p>"You <em>disgusting</em> man!" Elara said, her wand still trained on him even as Harry released him from his weight. "You absolutely-</p><p>"I didn't want to go," Mundungus began. "No offense, mate. I didn't want to get meself killed! And then 'e showed up! What was I supposed to do?"</p><p>"You should have stayed!" Elara roared, "You should have stayed! No one else left! No one else disapparated away like a- a <em>coward</em>! Mad Eye <em>died</em>! I watched him <em>die</em>! You could have helped!"</p><p>As she said the words aloud, she realized the band in her chest that had been there for two months, had tightened at the sight of Mundungus. And the fear coursing through her the night they went to retrieve Harry, returned. She could see the light leave Mad Eye's eyes as he fell from his broom, plummeting to the earth below. She could feel the grip on her jaw as Voldemort held her face in his hand. She could hear his cries of agony as she yanked gut wrenching torment from the back of his mind and forced him to relive it.</p><p>She felt sick. She felt like she was going to faint. Her breath came in heavy pants as her wand faltered, her arm shaking as she pointed it at the man on the floor.</p><p>"She all righ'?" He asked, looking at Harry.</p><p>She could see the look of concern in Harry's eyes as his brows pulled together, his forehead creasing.</p><p>"I'm fine," She choked out. "I'm fine. You should be more worried about yourself right now!"</p><p>"He's always worried about himself," Ron said. "That's the problem, innit?"</p><p>"Listen," Harry began. "As much as I would love to give Ellie here the opportunity to hex you to hell and back, that's not why we brought you here."</p><p>"It isn'?" Mundungus said, looking up from his spot on the floor.</p><p>"No," Harry said. "It isn't. You have something that belonged to Regulus Black. I want it."</p><p>Elara clenched her jaw as she moved to the table, yanking a chair away with more force than necessary, and sitting down. She folded her arms over her chest and crossed her legs over one another at the knee.</p><p>"I don't think Harry realized you were having a bath," Hermione whispered. "If you want to go get dressed…"</p><p>"I'm fine," Elara said.</p><p>Hermione gave a sharp nod and offered her a steaming mug from the tray. Elara returned the gesture with a tight smile and took the mug, wrapping both her hands around it and settling it in her lap after taking a few sips.</p><p>Elara sat, her back ramrod straight, as she listened to Harry question Mundungus about the locket. He really was a slimy man. Making excuses for going through the house, stealing anything he could get his hands on. She hoped he got picked up by someone in Knockturn Alley with an eye for stolen heirlooms and a bad taste in their mouth.</p><p>"You still have it?" Hermione said, leaning forward a bit in her chair.</p><p>"No he doesn't, look at him!" Ron said, his face scrunching up in disgust, "He's wondering if he could have gotten more for it!"</p><p>"Well I bleedin' gave it away, didn't I!" Mundungus cried, "Some old bat that works for the Ministry!"</p><p>"Who?" Harry asked.</p><p>"Dunno," He replied. "Short, mean old thing. Wore a pink bow on her head."</p><p>Harry's wand slipped from his grasp as he looked between Ron and Hermione. Elara's face pulled together in confusion, her mouth twisting to the side as some shared realization hit the three.</p><p>"Umbridge," Harry said.</p><hr/><p>August was bleeding into September at a much faster pace than they were prepared for. With next to no information and not sure how to get it, they had spent their days locked in the house, bickering and grating one another's nerves. Elara often wondered how any of them had been friends for so long. The way Ron's temper caused him to snap, Harry having no regard for it and seemingly enjoying an argument, and Hermione who tried to keep the peace in an obviously annoyed state. On top of it, Harry's foul mood seemed to seep through all of them and she found that when she had had enough of it, he didn't want to hear her input. He would simply ignore her or argue with her until one of them got angry enough to leave the room.</p><p>Elara found herself reaching for her dampening potion more days than not, taking even half doses to just get a few hours of peace. She spent much of her time alone, or with Hermione in the library. They studied tirelessly, going through book after book of anything that could be useful. The Black library was nowhere near as expansive as the library at the Manor, but there was quite a lot of text to go through.</p><p>Today was a calmer day in the house. For that, Elara was thankful. Ron and Hermione seemed to be over their previous day's quarrel and Harry had shut himself in Sirius's room again. Elara found herself in the Great Room, sitting at the stacked piano that was covered in an inch thick layer of dust. Kreacher had done wonders for the house since their arrival, cleaning constantly and fixing most of what they hadn't been able to fix, but the piano remained filthy.</p><p>She wondered if it worked.</p><p>She leaned forward, blowing some of the dust off the keys and instantly regretted the motion. The dust swirled around her and caused her to cough and sneeze. She settled and decided on a cleaning charm, feeling annoyed with herself for not having done that in the first place.</p><p>She struck a key and felt the tug of her lips pull upward. <em>Music</em>. God, how she missed hearing music throughout the Manor. Hot summer days that were accented with quiet playing strings as she tended to her plants in the back garden. She sighed at the nostalgic feeling that pumped through her and placed her hands on the keys. After striking a few notes and realizing that the piano was still in tune, she began to play.</p><p>She hadn't noticed Harry enter the room.</p><p>"I didn't know you played piano," He said.</p><p>She jumped, clutching a hand to her chest and heaving a few breaths in. "You scared me!" She laughed.</p><p>"Sorry," He said, a sheepish, lopsided smile on his face as he leaned against the door frame.</p><p>"It's all right," She said. "And yes. Although, not very well. Draco is much better at it than I am. We both play piano; Mum taught us when we were young. She plays too."</p><p>"What are you playing?" He asked.</p><p>"I don't know the name," She admitted. "It's a song mum taught us."</p><p>He bobbed his head a few times, shoving his hands in his pockets and crossing the room. Elara moved down on the small bench to make room for him. Harry sat, clasping his hands in his lap. "I don't know how to play," He said. "I was never allowed to do anything at the Dursley's."</p><p>"I'm sorry they were so horrible to you," She said, a slight frown pulling her features downward.</p><p>He shrugged, "I've made my peace with it. Besides, I have you now. And Hermione. Ron and his entire family."</p><p>Even with the dampening potion, she could feel the lingering sadness in him. "Are you all right?" She asked.</p><p>He hummed, "Why wouldn't I be?"</p><p>"You've been spending a lot of time in Sirius's room," She said.</p><p>"I don't want to argue with anyone," He admitted. "So, I sit in there and read that letter from my mum."</p><p>"Tensions have been high," She agreed, pulling her eyes from the piano keys and staring into his.</p><p>"I think we should venture out," He said, his voice barely above a whisper.</p><p>"To where?"</p><p>He shrugged. "I want to try and get some information. Maybe swipe a copy of the Prophet."</p><p>"Harry, there's Death Eaters practically lining the streets."</p><p>"I know," He said, his hand coming up to rest on the side of her neck. "But we need to know what's going on. Sitting here in the dark isn't going to solve anything. We need to find Umbridge and I have my cloak-</p><p>"You can't go out alone!" She immediately protested, her heart jumping into her throat. "Harry, if you get caught-</p><p>"I know," He said. "I think we should go in pairs. We can go under the invisibility cloak, apparate to the top step like Remus did."</p><p>"I don't know, Harry. It feels really risky…" She trailed off, chewing at her bottom lip.</p><p>She felt the pad of his thumb brush against her lip, pulling it from between her teeth. "I know," He said. "But we're going to have to take some risks. We can't sit here all year."</p><p>She sighed, staring into his eyes, searching them for anything that could bring her comfort. He was determined to make her see his point, she could feel that much. And his eyes glittered with it as well. "Okay," She breathed the word.</p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>She nodded. "Yes, I don't think it's really the most <em>intelligent</em> thing to do, but you're right. We can't just sit here and wait for something to happen."</p><p>He smiled at her and she stared down at his teeth. She had never noticed that the two in the middle of the bottom row were slightly crooked. She thought it was cute. She felt her face flush a bit as she realized Harry's gaze was still on her.</p><p><em>Merlin, I'm acting like he hasn't seen me starkers!</em> She thought, suppressing the chuckle that threatened to bubble out of her chest. She could tell that Harry noticed the change in her demeanor as laughter seemed to dance in his eyes. He leaned forward, capturing her lips with his own.</p><p>She sighed into him, her skin tingling where his thumb rubbed just below her jaw on her neck. They hadn't spent much time together, alone, since the first night and morning when they arrived. And the time they did spend, they usually ended up bickering or getting frustrated with one another's attitude.</p><p>It was hard, being here. On all of them. It was difficult to be away from everyone, without knowing anything about what was happening. Reading the month old copy of the Prophet that Lupin had brought with him in hopes of finding something new they hadn't noticed before. Hermione was constantly searching through books, trying to find things that could be useful and Ron practically had the Prophet articles memorized.</p><p>It was exhausting.</p><p>It was irritating.</p><p>They were grating each other's nerves on a daily basis and she had forgotten how much she missed the feel of having Harry's lips move against hers. Her thoughts were pulled away from the frustration of day to day life in the house as Harry's tongue swiped across her bottom lip and delved into her mouth, roaming through it with purpose.</p><p>She could kiss him like this all day.</p><p>She felt his left hand move into her hair, his right still planted on her neck, rubbing soft circles into the underside of her jaw. She pulled her hands from her lap, twisting the fingers on her right hand into his messy raven locks and resting her left against his chest. She could feel his heartbeat thundering against his sternum.</p><p>He pulled his lips from hers and moved to her neck, pressing searing, open mouthed kisses along the column of her throat.</p><p>"Harry," She whispered in a breathy moan. "The door…"</p><p>His hand left her hair and she felt him shift a bit, her eyes fluttering shut as he nipped the skin below her ear. She heard the door slam shut and felt his lips move against her as he whispered a locking and silencing charm. His wand fell from his hand, hitting the ground with a muffled <em>thud</em> against the rug. His hand returned to her, snaking around her waist and pulling her flush against him.</p><p>She shifted on the small bench, nudging his face with hers to get back to his lips. Maybe it was the lack of snogging in the last couple of weeks, or perhaps, the growing animosity and tension that had overtaken everyone in the house, but her skin felt like it was on fire. Alive with his touch and crawling to feel more of him.</p><p>She nearly pouted when he pulled away from her and she shot him a look when he chuckled. "Why bother locking and silencing the door, if you aren't going to finish what you started, Potter?" She shot at him, her eyes narrowed.</p><p>He barked a loud laugh and stood up, "Unless you want to continue this on the bench, I was going to move over there…" He pointed to the sofa that was shoved against the wall next to the fireplace.</p><p>He took her hands and pulled her to her feet, leaning down to capture her lips again, successfully silencing her before she could retort. She smiled into his mouth and stumbled backward as he guided them toward the sofa. She fell backward when she felt the upholstered arm hit the backs of her thighs and she let out a small squeak as she tumbled onto the sofa, pulling Harry down with her.</p><p>He settled himself between her legs, his hips pressed to hers and their torsos pressed together. He propped himself up on his elbows to avoid crushing her, and dove back to her neck, dragging his tongue up the side of her throat and nipping at her earlobe. She could feel him growing hard against her, as her own body grew hot, aching to feel him.</p><p>"Harry," She whined. "<em>Please."</em></p><p>She felt the vibration of his laughter against her throat and she squirmed against him, receiving a soft groan from him in response. She didn't know why she felt so… So <em>desperate</em>. But she wanted to feel him <em>now</em>. She wanted that connection they had in the bathtub, the one she felt at the Burrow. The connection she couldn't feel with anyone but him. His emotions had been able to overtake her from the moment she laid eyes on him over a year ago at Madam Malkin's. His electricity was a brand so unique to him, that she <em>craved </em>it. And she never realized how much she did until she had it in her grasp.</p><p>She had spent the last few weeks bickering with him, arguing the situation with Lupin over and over again. They had gone round after round of hurling angry words at one another, slamming doors and walking away. And now, with his hands kneading the soft flesh of her breasts and his lips tracing her collar bones, she wondered how she could ever be angry with him.</p><p>It was sinful.</p><p>And yet, it wasn't.</p><p>There was something so righteous about Harry. Something that even when she was angry, and she could feel his fury swimming under his skin, she was still absolutely enamored with him. Like the fire in her belly that started the day Draco was marked, reached out to the flames burning in his soul from the day Harry himself was marked.</p><p>Because he was marked. More so than anyone else, if she really took the time to think about it.</p><p>The heat of his flame, of his fight, swallowed her in a way that told her she would follow him to the ends of the Earth. She would walk through hell, stepping into hot coals and gladly feel the soles of her feet burn and peel away if it meant she would be with him. If she could stand in the light that he gave off and blind everyone alongside him.</p><p>She gasped as his finger tips brushed her inner thighs under the jean material of the shorts she was wearing, tracing small circles into her skin as he pressed kisses to her lips, cheeks, and neck. She curled her fingers around the hem of his shirt, pulling it over his head and tossing it to the floor. She lifted her back from the embroidered cushions to remove her own shirt, creating a pile of crumpled cotton on the floor.</p><p>"I'm sorry," Harry said, as his lips pressed into her collarbone. "I'm sorry I've been so terrible the last few days."</p><p>She couldn't help but laugh. "We've all been on edge, Harry. It's- <em>unghh," </em>She groaned, her breath catching in her throat as his hand pushed past the open waistband of her shorts and began tracing her through her knickers.</p><p>"Still," He breathed, his voice low and thick. "I've been an arse."</p><p>"Harry, I'm going to be far more upset with you if you don't stop talking and-</p><p>His mouth slanted over hers as his fingers pushed under the fabric of her knickers and into her center. She moaned into his mouth as they curled within her, stoking the fire that only he could touch. Her hands moved furiously over his torso, tracing the dips and edges of his muscles as they found their way to the button of his jeans and fumbled to get it undone.</p><p>She nearly whined from the loss when he removed his hand from her, pushing himself up and sitting back on his knees. He looked down at her, his chest and face flushed. His eyes heavy lidded behind round lenses and black lashes. He gripped her hips, helping her lift from the cushions as he pulled her shorts and knickers down. She kicked them off the rest of the way and sat up, reaching out to shove his jeans and boxer shorts down. He sighed when she gripped him, pumping him in her hand a few times. He leaned forward again, settling himself at her entrance and looking down into her eyes. His glasses slipped down his nose a bit, and she reached up to pull them off.</p><p>"No," He said, his breathing already coming in heavy pants. "No, leave them. I want to see you."</p><p>She gave the tiniest semblance of a nod and his mouth met hers again. His lips lingered a moment, moving softly against her own. He pulled away from her face again to stare down at her as he sheathed himself inside of her, his emerald eyes staring into her own silvers. She tried to hold his gaze, to look into his eyes as they stared into her, burning into her soul. She felt her lids flutter as he pulled back and began thrusting, her eyes fell closed.</p><p>His face buried into the crook of her neck, nuzzling against her as their hips moved in rhythm. She clawed at his shoulders, pressing crescent shaped dents into his sun-tanned skin. She felt a high pitched moan tear from the back of her throat when his hand moved down, finding her pearl and swiping across it in light pressured circles. Her back arched, pressing her breasts into his chest as her legs wrapped around his waist and she locked her ankles in place.</p><p>"<em>Fuck, Ellie</em>," Harry groaned, his breath coming in erratic pants as she ground her hips up to meet his thrusts.</p><p>She could feel the band that had been tight in her chest for weeks loosening as the coil behind her navel tightened. It wound its way through her, setting her nerves aflame with Harry and threatening to pull her apart piece by piece. She cried out as he pushed into her, shifting slightly and stroking a spot deep inside that she had only become aware of from their time in the bathtub on their first night at Grimmauld.</p><p>She teetered the edge, dancing in the flames of the hellfire that was Harry. Crying out to long-forgotten gods she didn't believe in, begging for them to hear her prayers and offer her kindness. To release the coils winding tightly through her body.</p><p>Harry's teeth found the tender spot on her throat and the band broke, unraveling completely as she nearly sobbed from the release. She felt herself clench around Harry, begging him to stay as the heat tore through her limbs, filtering down to her fingers and toes. His pace picked up, becoming a little more frantic as he slammed into her three times before falling over his own cliff of moaning cries.</p><p>He collapsed on top of her, pressing languid kisses into her neck and chest as his breathing worked to right itself. She combed her fingers through his sweat-damp hair, dragging her nails over his scalp.</p><p>"Mm," Harry hummed. "That's nice."</p><p>She snickered softly, "All of that, and my nails on your scalp is what's nice?"</p><p>"The shagging was nice too," He mumbled into her neck.</p><p>"Nice isn't the word I would use," She countered.</p><p>He hummed again, the air from his nose tickling her skin. "No, nice probably isn't the right word. Incredible, maybe."</p><p>She smiled to herself and pulled his face up to hers. He rubbed the tip of his nose to hers before capturing her lips again, shifting off of her in the process to settle next to her. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him.</p><p>They laid together for a long time. Elara watched as the light from the window went from a bright midday shine to a dusky orange glow.</p><p>"Harry?" She asked, tilting her chin up a bit to look at his face.</p><p>"Hm?"</p><p>She bit down on her bottom lip a moment, trying to collect her thoughts. "Do you think we can do this?"</p><p>"Do what, love?" He asked, sitting up slightly to better look at her.</p><p>"Do you think we can win? I mean, the Order and… and us. Against the Ministry and the Death Eaters… It feels like we're becoming outnumbered."</p><p>He sighed, "I know," He said, tightening his arms around her. "And honestly? I don't know. But we have to try, don't we? We have to at least try."</p><p>She pursed her lips in thought, twisting her mouth to the side as she looked at him. "I… I know I said before that- that I wasn't so sure that you'd be able to overthrow him, that <em>we</em> would be able to be successful in this…" She trailed off, trying to piece her thoughts together.</p><p>"You aren't going to break up with me again now, are you?" Harry asked. His face was serious, but there was a lightness to his tone that suggested he was kidding.</p><p>She playfully shoved at his chest, offering a smile. "No, you prat. I am not going to break up with you," She said, the laughter dying in her throat. "I-I think you can do it, though. I think if anyone can do this, it's you."</p><p>He was completely silent for several minutes. So long, in fact, that Elara thought maybe she said something to upset him. Finally, his voice came, softer than she had ever heard it before. "I really wish I knew where people find their faith in me."</p><p>"What do you mean?"</p><p>He sighed, "Everyone seems to think I have this grand plan. That I know exactly what I'm doing and... " He trailed off, his brows furrowing together. "I have no idea what I'm doing, El. No idea. I'm going off of the very little information I have from Dumbledore and all of the things we've been able to piece together but… It doesn't feel like it's going to be enough."</p><p>"It will be," She said, with more conviction that was probably necessary. "Harry, you underestimate yourself time after time. It's like you're shocked anytime you're able to do something. You haven't just fallen into being who you are, you've built that. People feel as if they can put their trust in you, their faith in you, because they see how hard you've worked to build yourself into being someone who's worth their praise."</p><p>"I'm not, though," He said. "I'm not worth their faith or praise or- or whatever! I've got no idea-</p><p>"Tosh," She said, cutting him off. "You're worth the praise of a thousand choirs, Harry Potter. There isn't a person alive who can touch the fire within you."</p><p>He stared at her, his brows still knit together and his forehead creased in bewilderment.</p><p>"You listen to me," She continued. "You can't give up. Even if we don't have all the answers, even if we don't know where to go from here just yet, you can't give up. You take that fire, and you burn the entire city to the ground until we take the Dark Lord down too, okay?"</p><p>He nodded, his jaw set tight and a look of determination stealing over his face.</p><p>She would be damned if he was unaware of the heat of the flame he carried. She would make sure that he knew. She would make sure he knew how hot and bright he burned. Because Voldemort? He was <em>snow</em> compared to Harry. And she would watch him melt beneath his fingers with joy.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 17: Don't Say His Name</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Younger Days by Mt. Joy</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Ilomilo by Billie Eilish</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Don't Give Up by yaeow</em>
</p><hr/><p>Elara checked her reflection in the mirror one last time. She was nervous to leave the house without transfiguring herself. She knew that they would be under the Invisibility Cloak the entire time, but she couldn't help but feel her stomach knot.</p><p>What if it wasn't enough?</p><p>What if they were still found out?</p><p>She pulled on the hem of the cotton tee shirt she was wearing. She again, wore one of the only two pairs of jean shorts she had with her, and pulled her hair into a low bun on the nape of her neck. She tied the laces of her trainers and when she stood back up from the kneeling position, Harry was in the doorway.</p><p>"Hermione is still upset," He said. "She doesn't want us to go together. She said it would be better if she or Ron went with me."</p><p>"She's probably right," Elara said. "If we both get caught-</p><p>"We aren't going to get caught," Harry said, a finality to his voice. "We're just going to swipe a Prophet from the Leaky and watch the Ministry for a bit."</p><p>"I know the plan," She said, apprehension leaking into her voice. "I just… I'm nervous."</p><p>"We have the cloak, Ellie. We'll be okay," He was quiet a moment and then sighed. "Maybe… Maybe you should hold off on taking your potion though. Just in case. It could be helpful to know if there's anyone suddenly feeling irate or something."</p><p>She nodded, "I had already planned that."</p><hr/><p>Elara should have taken her potion.</p><p>It had been quite some time since she had been surrounded by so many people without the effects of the dampening potion. Muggles and the Wizarding community alike, everyone's emotions were <em>loud</em> this early in the morning. Feelings of worry and irritation flowed through her almost constantly and she could feel the beginnings of a headache edging into her brain.</p><p>Happiness, excitement, content… Those feelings were subtle and easy to adjust to.</p><p>Worry, anger, aggravation… The stronger emotions that ruined someone's day, that set their demeanor off kilter to those around them? They were suffocating.</p><p>It didn't help that huddled together under the cloak in the late August heat, it was sweltering. Harry had been doing cooling charms every so often, but she felt nauseous. She was regretting the breakfast she had eaten. Harry's slow growing irritation as the Ministry workers filed in didn't help and she could tell he was trying to calm himself, trying to hold back his annoyance at the lack of information for her sake.</p><p>"Have you seen anything yet?" Harry asked, for the fourth time in the last thirty minutes.</p><p>"No, Harry, I haven't."</p><p>"It's after nine," He continued, ignoring her obvious frustration. "I can't imagine she would be going in any later…"</p><p>"Harry, it's the Ministry. Most of the workers Floo in. There's a good chance we aren't going to…" She trailed off as a familiar emotion of amusement tore through her. She looked away from his face and squinted, looking at the entrance of the phone booth. "Mr. Weasley!" She almost cried with relief.</p><p>Harry's head jerked to the right and he laughed, relief flooding over him as well. "He looks all right, doesn't he?"</p><p>She nodded. "He looks okay. He <em>feels</em> it too. There's a little concern there, but he seems okay."</p><p>"If he's okay, that means everyone is all right, doesn't it? He- he wouldn't be okay if something major had happened," Harry said. He pulled his eyes from the phone booth that Mr. Weasley disappeared into and she could feel the sadness tugging in his gut.</p><p>"They're okay, Harry. If something had happened, if anyone was hurt, I don't think Mr. Weasley would be fine."</p><p>He gave a sharp nod and breathed a sigh of relief. "Let's go to the Leaky," He said. "And then we can go back to the house."</p><p>They carefully crept their way through the streets of Muggle London. It wasn't that far of a walk, but apparating more than necessary posed the risk of the cloak slipping upon arrival, and it was something they both agreed was too dangerous.</p><p>"I want to go into Diagon Alley," Elara declared.</p><p>"Ellie... " Harry trailed, pulling her to the side to avoid the Muggle that was staring down at his wrist watch while walking. "Are you sure? I know you were nervous about this anyway, and that's a big risk."</p><p>She nodded. "I'm sure. I need to see Fred and George's shop…"</p><p>"You and Fred, you got rather close, didn't you?" Harry asked. He wasn't jealous, but she could sense there was something under his words.</p><p>She nodded, "He just… When I got to the Burrow, it wasn't all warm welcomes and happy to see me. People were angry that I was there. Fred and George both were apprehensive, but it seemed that after a day, Fred gave up on being nervous around me. Mrs. Weasley kept splitting Ron, Hermione, and I up- as you very well know, and I got put with Fred a lot. He's just easy to talk to. He reminds me of Draco and-</p><p>"Fred?" Harry asked, stifling a chuckle. "Fred Weasley reminds you of <em>Draco</em>?"</p><p>She smirked and let out a breathy laugh, "Well, of course you don't see it! You don't know Draco like I do! Before this last year, he was always laughing and pulling pranks. Always had something to say. I swear he loves the sound of his own voice... I miss him."</p><p>"So Fred filled that void?"</p><p>"Yeah," She said. "I guess he did. I could talk to him without feeling like he was nervous around me. A bit protective, maybe, but not nervous. And then George finally came around and… It's been hard. I miss Draco terribly, I worry about him constantly and the twins… Fred especially; they understood. They understand the connection you have with your twin. It's hard to explain, I guess."</p><p>"I understand," Harry said. "It's okay that you miss him… Draco, I mean. I'm not sure I can forgive him for going through with the vanishing cabinet, but… He's your brother. You were close, once. I know it's got to be difficult."</p><p>"It is," She agreed. "But I wouldn't change my mind, you know."</p><p>He stopped walking and looked down at her, a small smile on his lips. "I know."</p><p>When they reached The Leaky Cauldron, they were glad to see it was fairly empty. Only a few patrons sat at tables this early, sipping from mugs and reading various bits of news articles or books. No one paid any mind to anything around them, something she was grateful for when her foot caught on a chair and it moved a bit. Harry swiped a copy of the Prophet from a nearby table and they made their way to the back, walking into the alley behind the pub and stopping in front of the brick wall.</p><p>"I'll keep a lookout," Elara whispered, looking over their shoulders while Harry's wand slipped between the fabric of the cloak and tapped against the bricks.</p><p>They both held their breath as the bricks shifted and moved, creating the entry way to Diagon Alley. Elara willed it to hurry up, if they got caught here, they would most definitely be turned into the Ministry. She should have listened to Hermione and let her come with Harry instead. Hermione would have <em>never</em> suggested doing something so stupid.</p><p>They crossed the threshold once the bricks had shifted into place and Elara's stomach dropped.</p><p>"Oh my god," She whispered, her hand shooting up to cover her mouth. "Harry…"</p><p>The small street was destroyed.</p><p>Windows on every business were broken, the street sparkling with shards of glass. The doors were blown in, hanging on by hinges that looked too weak to hold the weight. Scraps of parchment and debris were scattered all over the cobblestone paths and there were dozens of posters pasted on every surface advertising the Muggle-born Registration Commission and new demands for returning and new Hogwarts students. She caught glimpse of her own face staring up from a wanted poster, the bold 100,000 Galleons bleeding into the frame of the picture from the effects of the rain. Harry's face stared from every building or bench: "Undesireable No. 1".</p><p>They slowly moved up the alley and she felt the pit in her stomach grow. There was no business here. The few shops that did remain open had Death Eaters standing in front of the entryway and she could feel the hair rising on the back of her neck. They shouldn't have come here.</p><p>As they looked around, passing Flourish and Blotts, a familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.</p><p>"...Let go of me! I'm just trying to get my damn book you ignorant fucking- I told you! My name is Blaise Zabini! I'm a seventh year at Hogwarts and I'm pureblood! Can you not fucking <em>read</em> you imbicile! Look at my robes! I'm in <em>Slytherin</em>. Draco Malfoy is my best mate, go fucking talk to him!"</p><p>"Harry!" Elara said, pulling him into the alleyway across from the book shop and pointing toward the door. "It's Blaise!" She nearly cried, her chest heaving in breaths.</p><p>"Shh…" Harry cooed. "You have to be quiet, El."</p><p>"I know, I know." The tears fell from her eyes before she could stop them. <em>He's alive</em>.</p><p>"Finally!" Blaise nearly shouted. "Fuck! Malfoy, if you don't make these arseholes leave me alone! Salazar damn <em>idiots</em>. They couldn't get the smart ones to patrol Diagon Alley? Instead you have these fucking tossers?"</p><p>"Sorry, mate." Draco chuckled.</p><p>She couldn't help the sob that wrenched from her throat as the sound of Draco's laughter hit her ears. She knew she should be upset that he was laughing, looking around Diagon Alley, there was no reason to be happy. But she couldn't help but feel ecstatic. They were <em>both</em> here.</p><p>"Harry, I have to talk to them." Elara said, suddenly. "I have to… I need to see their faces."</p><p>"No! Ellie, no! You <em>can't</em>."</p><p>She knew he was right. She <em>knew</em> it was reckless to remove herself from the cloak, but she <em>had</em> to see them. She had to make sure they were okay. She had to- to look into their eyes and see what was happening, to see if they had been turned against her.</p><p>"I'm sorry," She cried, slipping out from under the robe. She turned quickly and cast a sticking charm, effectively gluing Harry's feet to the ground. For good measure, she silenced him. If she was going to get caught because of a momentary lapse of better judgement on her part, fine. But she wouldn't have Harry get captured too.</p><p>She cast a disillusionment charm over herself and walked to the edge of the alley, peeking her head around the corner of the building. She could see Blaise's face, Draco's back to her. He was wearing his Death Eater robes, but his mask was in his hand and his hood down. She thought quickly, trying to figure out the best way to get their attention without bringing attention to herself. She scanned the area, trying to find a spot where- <em>there</em>! Florean Fortescue's poor ice cream shop, while closed and run down, would offer a place of coverage.</p><p>She would need something to get their attention though, something that would tell Draco that it was her, without a doubt. She walked closer to them, determination pushing the adrenaline through her veins. Her blood rushed in her ears as her heart thundered against her chest.</p><p>They were talking; Blaise was still complaining about being grabbed in the shop.</p><p>"...I swear if one more of these fucking-</p><p>"Choose better words, you sound dim." Elara spoke, just above a whisper as she reached them.</p><p>They heard her. Both Blaise and Draco blanched, eyes going wide and Blaise's next words dying in his throat.</p><p>"Ellie?" Draco said her name in a breath.</p><p>She tugged on his sleeve, trying to get him to understand to follow her. She thanked Merlin that he wasn't dense as his feet moved.</p><p>"I'm going to the loo," Draco called over his shoulder to the Death Eater standing in the doorway. "When I get back, you had better have your list sorted."</p><p>If the Death Eater thought it odd that Blaise followed Draco, he didn't show it.</p><p>Elara leaned closer to Draco and whispered, "Fortescue's." In his ear before trotting ahead of them and slipping through the broken door to the business. She looked around, using a revealing spell to make sure she was alone. She cast <em>Muffliato</em> at the door and a notice-me- not, just to make sure no one would get curious and peek into the building.</p><p>She cancelled the disillusionment charm and sank back into the shadows, pressing her back into the wall of the furthest corner and waited. Her breath uneven and her heart pounding in her chest, her lashes wet from the tears that spilled while she was under the cloak.</p><p>She knew this was barmy. There was nothing to stop Draco from grabbing her and apparating to the Manor. To turn her in. As the seconds ticked, she began to feel queasy with uncertainty. Just when she thought about recasting the disillusionment on herself and high-tailing it out of the ice cream shop, Draco and Blaise walked through the threshold.</p><p>She couldn't hold back the sob that tore from her throat.</p><p>She moved away from the wall and noticed Draco was walking straight toward her, nearly hurtling himself over the tables that had been thrown carelessly on their sides. Before she could blink, his arms were wrapped around her in a crushing hug.</p><p>He was crying.</p><p>"You're alive! You're okay!" He said, over and over.</p><p>"I'm okay, I'm all right. Are you? Are you okay?" She sobbed into his neck, squeezing him as tightly as she could.</p><p>"I'm okay," He said. "How are you here? <em>Why </em>are you here? Ellie, if they catch you-</p><p>"You aren't going to turn me in?" She asked.</p><p>"What?" He said, his voice incredulous. "No! No! I wouldn't- You <em>can't</em> come back to the Manor. It's awful there. It's…" He trailed off, finally pulling away from her. He cupped her face in his hands, looking her over before pulling her back into his chest for another rib crushing hug.</p><p>"I don't have a lot of time," She said. "I have to go. I just, I heard you and… I had to see you. Mum? Is mum okay?"</p><p>"Mum's all right. They leave her alone now," He said. "Father makes sure of it."</p><p>She nodded, pulling away from the embrace to look him over. He looked <em>horrible</em>. His face was even more sallow than it had been before, the dark rings under his eyes nearly glowing against his greying pale skin. He was thinner than he had been before the summer, which was worrying considering how much weight he had lost through sixth year. She could make out the faint bruises on his cheek bones and felt her stomach give an unpleasant twist.</p><p>He was not okay. Anyone who looked at him would be a fool to think he was.</p><p>"Can I intercept?" Blaise asked, his voice quiet and trembling.</p><p>She half laughed, half sobbed, wiping her face on the back of her hand and stepping toward Blaise. He pulled her into a crushing hug, kissing the top of her head. "I've been sending you messages through the coin," He said.</p><p>"I know," She said. "I've seen them. I don't know if they can track me through it, so I can't risk it. I've seen them though. Your mum, Blaise! I'm so-</p><p>"Don't even worry about my mum!" He said, "You know Emiliana. She's tougher than a Chinese Fireball. A few rounds of <em>cruciatus</em> isn't going to take her down."</p><p>"A few rounds?!" She cried in horror, "Blaise, I- I'm so sorry. This is all my fault and-</p><p>"No," Draco said. "No, it isn't. Are you safe? Are you with Potter now?"</p><p>"I can't tell you that," She said. "I'm sorry, Coco, you know I can't."</p><p>"I know," He said, wiping the tears from his lashes. "I know. You're safe though? The lot of you? You're okay?"</p><p>"I'm safe," She confirmed, skating over the question of the others and their well-being. "Are you going back to Hogwarts this term?"</p><p>"Yes," Blaise said. "We both are. We have to."</p><p>She nodded. "Good," She said. "Take care of everyone for me, please? Keep your eyes one them, make sure they stay safe. I have to go now, though."</p><p>Blaise nodded, pulling her into another hug. "I love you, be careful out there, yeah?"</p><p>She flashed him a watery smile, "I love you too, take care of yourself and your mum."</p><p>Draco pulled her away from Blaise, wrapping his arms around her shoulders so tightly she wasn't sure he'd let go. "I love you, Ellie. Please be careful. And… And tell Potter I told him to end this. He has… He has to end this. I can't…" He trailed off.</p><p>Her chest shook with another sob as she nodded furiously. "We're going to," She promised. "I swear, we're going to. I love you, Coco. Tell mum and dad for me, too? Please? Coco, <em>please</em> take care of yourself. I love you."</p><p>"Ellie, wait!" Draco said, his voice hesitant as his eyes shifted.</p><p>
  <em>Doubt. Fear.</em>
</p><p>"What is it?" She asked, her brows pulling together in concern. She could see him working through the thought process of making what he believed may be a bad decision.</p><p>"Th-There's a.. a taboo! On his name. Don't say it, no matter what, don't say his name."</p><p>She sniffled and nodded as she stepped back and tapped her wand to the top of her head, whispering the disillusionment charm. She took a deep, shuddering breath before looking over them one last time. She turned and apparated back to the alley that Harry was in. She flicked her wand in the general direction of the spot she had left him and lifted the jinxes she had cast.</p><p>She could feel Harry's anger pulsing around the alley, but her head was reeling. A taboo. <em>A taboo</em>. She heard Harry's voice and saw his hand come out from under the robe. She grabbed it and allowed him to pull her under the fabric before cancelling the disillusionment charm once more.</p><hr/><p>Harry was seething by the time they landed on the stoop of Grimmauld Place. She could feel the anger bubbling in him, held back only by her promise of information.</p><p>"What in the <em>hell </em>were you thinking?!" He shouted at her as the door slammed shut behind them.</p><p>Harry ripped the cloak off of them and hung it on the hook, flicking his wand at the curtains that had flung open to reveal the screeching portrait.</p><p>"You could have gotten captured! Or- or killed! Ellie, how could you-</p><p>"What's happened?" Ron asked, walking into the hall with a sandwich in hand.</p><p>"Where's Hermione?" Elara asked.</p><p>"In here!" She called from the dining room. "Kreacher made sandwiches!"</p><p>"Let's have lunch," Elara said, turning to Harry.</p><p>"I don't want <em>lunch</em>!" He roared, "I-I can't <em>believe</em> you-</p><p>"Harry, I need to talk to you about what he told me," Elara said. "Please."</p><p>He set his jaw, clenching down hard as he blew several hot breaths through his nostrils. "Fine," He spat, sweeping his arm across the room to usher her forward.</p><p>She gave a tight nod and walked into the dining room, taking a seat at the table and grabbing a sandwich from the plate. She picked up the glass that was already sitting in her spot and smiled as she took a sip of the cranberry juice. Kreacher was mostly a menace, but he had his moments.</p><p>"Are you going to tell me why the fuck you thought going with them was a good idea?" Harry said, his voice low and shaking with anger.</p><p>"First," She said, her tongue darting out to swipe the cranberry juice that lingered on her lips. "Don't swear at me. Second, what was I supposed to do, Harry? He's my brother! I had an opportunity and-</p><p>"Wait," Hermione interrupted. "You saw Draco?"</p><p>"And Blaise," Elara said. "We went to Diagon Alley-</p><p>"You <em>what</em>?!" Hermione shrieked, her eyes wide with disbelief.</p><p>"I wanted to check the joke shop," Elara said. "I wanted to see if it had been badly damaged or if it was still open or what… It- it doesn't matter!" She shook her head, trying to get to the point. "We went to Diagon Alley and a Death Eater got handsy with Blaise over some list-</p><p>"The Muggleborn list?" Hermione asked.</p><p>"I'm assuming so," Elara said. "I jinxed Harry and silenced him and disillusioned myself. Draco was there with Blaise, they were getting supplies for Hogwarts."</p><p>"They're going back?" Ron asked.</p><p>She nodded, "Yes. But that's not the important part… As I was leaving, Draco stopped me and said there's a taboo on his name and said to not say it at all, for any reason."</p><p>"On who's name?" Ron asked.</p><p>"Well, I don't think it would be on anyone's name except the Dark Lord's." Elara said, pressing her lips together and raising her eyebrows into her hairline.</p><p>She could see the cogs turning in Harry's head as he took the information in, his anger slowly dissipating. "That's how they found us," He whispered. "At the cafe."</p><p>Elara nodded, "It had to be."</p><p>"Did they say anything else?" Harry asked.</p><p>She shook her head, "No, not really." She hesitated, deciding to tell Harry the message from Draco in private. She wasn't sure how Ron or Hermione would react to it. "Just said my mum is okay, that my dad had made sure of it."</p><p>"What does that mean?" Hermione asked.</p><p>"It means he's hexing anyone who goes near her," Elara answered.</p><p>"They're really there, then? Hiding out in your house?" Ron asked.</p><p>"They have been for months," Elara sighed.</p><p>They continued to talk for a bit while Harry and Elara tucked into their lunch. They explained what they saw at the Ministry and Harry pulled out the copy of the Prophet he had swiped. Ron had been beyond relieved to hear that his dad was okay and seemed chipper as usual. His entire demeanor changed a bit once Elara told him that news. The tentative good mood shifted as they read through the prophet and learned that Snape was now Headmaster of Hogwarts. Harry was angry again, reading over the article.</p><p>"And who the hell are the Carrow's?" He asked. "Why are they being made into professors?"</p><p>Elara grimaced. "Alecto is that squatty witch who <em>crucioed</em> me," She said. "Her brother, Amycus is just as bad. They're awful. They spent a lot of time torturing people in the first war for fun. Killing muggles with daggers and carving into them just to watch them bleed. They're evil and sadistic. Whoever is left at Hogwarts would be better off being locked up for their blood status if the Carrow's have any say in anything."</p><p>A grim silence settled over them and they all seemed to be lost in their own thoughts. Elara wasn't worried for Draco and Blaise at Hogwarts. They were Slytherins, afterall. With Draco being marked himself, she couldn't imagine the Carrow's giving him any issues. But everyone else? She felt a deep shiver tear up her spine as she thought of others she had become friends or acquaintances with. Ginny, Neville, Luna… They would all be in danger. It was not knowing exactly what the danger was, that was most unnerving to her.</p><p>"We need to go to the Ministry," Harry said, looking up from the spot on the table he had been staring at. "We need to go in and see if we can get the locket from her there."</p><p>"And what?" Elara snorted, "We just waltz right in? Undesirable number one, a wanted Malfoy with a large galleon reward on her head, a muggle born and a blood traitor? That should go over swimmingly."</p><p>Harry sighed, "You know, an hour and a half ago I didn't see you caring much about who saw you."</p><p>"That was different," Elara said. "Draco isn't going to turn me in. He isn't going to do something that will intentionally get me hurt, that's why he told me to apparate away when we came to Surrey for you. That's why he told me about the taboo, today."</p><p>"We can't waltz right in," Hermione agreed. Her tone suggestive of another option as she scrunched her face up in thought, her index finger tapping gently against her chin.</p><p>"But?" Elara asked, arching an eyebrow at her.</p><p>"But… We could Polyjuice. There's a relatively stocked potions cabinet here. If I can get a few more items, I could brew a Polyjuice." She said.</p><p>"Polyjuice," Elara repeated, rolling it around in her head. "You think that would work?"</p><p>"It's got to," Harry said.</p><p>"I don't see what other options we have, and we need to get that locket." Hermione said, a determined look on her face.</p><hr/><p>Elara had just come from the shower when she heard a soft knock on the door. She pulled her sleep shirt over her head and wrapped her hair up in the towel before padding over to the door to pull it open.</p><p>"You could have just come in," She chuckled, looking up at Harry.</p><p>"I didn't want to startle you," He said. "Can we talk?"</p><p>"Of course, Harry." She stepped aside, giving him room to pass through to the bedroom she was sharing with Hermione. It was the large, master bedroom that had once belonged to Walburga Black. After Kreacher had put in the effort to clean every surface and replace the bedding, they had found it to be quite comfortable.</p><p>Hermione and Elara shared the large bed most nights. It was silly to even separate the boys from their room, they knew that. But with Harry and Ron's tempers being unpredictable at best these days, they found that the reprieve at night was needed. It gave the girls time to go over theories and read through some of the more interesting texts they had found in the library without having to stop and explain everything.</p><p>Given the nightmares and restless sleep they both had, they decided to keep the bed as is. Hermione had become, essentially, a sister to Elara. She felt no qualm in sleeping next to her or helping to calm her when she woke up from a nightmare about her parents. In turn, Hermione had often helped Elara lull back to sleep after fitful dreams of Voldemort and her family.</p><p>Harry sat on the edge of the bed and clasped his hands in his lap, "I think Hermione and Ron are sharing the room tonight. Hermione fell asleep on my bed," He said, his voice calm and quiet.</p><p>"Oh," Elara said, her brows furrowing together. "Do you want me to wake her and have her come here?"</p><p>He shook his head, "No. She doesn't sleep enough as it is."</p><p>"You're right about that," Elara agreed. "I don't think any of us get nearly the amount of rest we need. You can stay in here tonight, if you want."</p><p>Harry nodded, "I'd like that."</p><p>She smiled and pulled the towel from her head, roughly drying her hair with it before walking to the vanity in search of a comb. When she located it, she perched on the bed next to Harry. "What did you want to talk about?"</p><p>He sighed, "What else did Draco say to you?"</p><p>She winced as a tangle caught in the comb and tugged it through her hair. "I didn't want to say it in front of Ron and Hermione, I'm not sure what they'd think."</p><p>"What did he say?"</p><p>"He asked me to tell you to end this," She said, her hand stilling in her hair. "He said you have to end it."</p><p>Harry turned to look at her, his eyes flitting around her face before he gave a sharp nod, "That's it?"</p><p>She nodded, "Yeah. I just… I know how Ron feels about Draco. How you feel about him. Harry, he doesn't want any of this. He never did. He may have taken his mark willingly, but just. He would have never taken the mark if he didn't think it would save my mum… Or- or me. I know you've had your differences over the years-</p><p>Harry snorted, "You could say that."</p><p>She rolled her eyes and continued, pulling the comb again as she talked. "I know you haven't gotten on well, but he's not a bad person. He isn't some evil Death Eater. He just wasn't given the same choices I was."</p><p>"You grew up in the same house," Harry said. "How were his choices any different?"</p><p>"Because, I have you," She said, setting the comb next to her on the blanket and running her fingers over her scalp a few times. "I have you and Ron and Hermione. If I didn't…"</p><p>"You would be working with them," Harry finished her thought.</p><p>She nodded. "Probably. I didn't think I had any better options for a long time. I thought you-know-who would kill us all if I didn't comply. If I didn't help Draco, I thought he'd be killed. And I couldn't stomach the thought of it."</p><p>Harry sighed, moving closer to her and picking up the comb. He ran it through the length of her damp hair a few times. "Something tells me you wouldn't have, though. Not if you could help it."</p><p>She shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not. All that matters is I'm here now, with you. I'm sorry I put us in danger today. I really am, but I had to see him. I had to know he was okay."</p><p>"I understand," Harry whispered, leaning forward to press his lips against her shoulder. "Just promise me you won't do that again, okay? I can't lose you too."</p><p>She nodded, "I promise."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 18: Dumb Luck and a House Elf</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>It's Called: Freefall by Rainbow Kitten Surprise</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Headspace by Lewis Capaldi</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lonliness by Aaron Taos</em>
</p><hr/><p>A month.</p><p>That was what Hermione had told them.</p><p>They had a month to get their plans figured out. To take turns surveying the Ministry. To figure out how to get the hair from the people they would Polyjuice into. To figure out <em>who</em> to use. They needed to find out exactly what route was best to take to get through the Ministry with as little interruption as possible. They had to figure out how to get close enough to Umbridge to take the locket.</p><p>They had been able to procure the ingredients they needed to brew the Polyjuice by having Kreacher get them from the apothecary for them. In addition to the ingredients needed to brew a large batch of the dampening potion for Elara.</p><p>The group had started taking turns using the invisibility cloak to watch and follow a few Ministry workers they had picked out. Thanks to Ron's dad working in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office for his entire life, Ron was able to spot the differences in rank and job title based on the different colored robes.</p><p>"The dark blue ones, those are magical maintenance," Ron explained. "The plum colored ones, with the "W" on them are members of the Wizengamot. Each department has different colored robes that identify the workers. Magical Law Enforcement usually wear dark green, Administrative workers wear a pale grey, anyone that heads a department wears violet with a badge that has the department name on it."</p><p>"What about the brown robes?" Elara asked, "I've seen a lot of them lately."</p><p>"Dark brown are curse breakers that work for the Ministry. Light brown are the guards that work at Azkaban."</p><p>"The Azkaban guards don't work for the Ministry?" Hermione asked.</p><p>"Not exclusively, no." Ron said. "Sometimes they're hired in through the MLE, sometimes they're outside hires."</p><p>"Knowing the color of robes is great and all," Harry said, clearly getting impatient with the conversation. "But we need to know how to get to Umbridge."</p><p>"Harry, if we know what department she's in-</p><p>"She's rounding up muggle borns, isn't she?!" Harry said, shoving a hand through his hair. "I can't imagine there's a department for that! I just need to know where her office is!"</p><p>"We can't go in blind, Harry!" Hermione reasoned. "We need to know as much as we can before we do this. We're taking an enormous risk! We <em>have </em>to be prepared."</p><p>"We already know who we're going to Polyjuice into!" Harry argued, "I've got the bloke Runcorn, Hermione's got Hopkirk, Ron as Cattermole and Ellie into that welcome witch in the atrium. We all know who we're turning into, so why do we need to know the robe colors?"</p><p>"Harry we need all the information we can get," Elara said.</p><p>"We <em>need</em> to figure out a way to communicate once we're inside." He pointed out.</p><p>"Ellie and I came up with a solution for that, actually," Hermione said, a smile creeping across her face. "I wasn't sure about the coins, if they're able to be traced or not. So, I made a new batch. These ones have the Protean charm as well as a modified version of the unplottable charm. We've tested them, tried to track them, and we aren't able to."</p><p>"Brilliant!" Harry said, finally pulled from his frustration. "Where are they?"</p><p>"I have them in our room," Elara said. "I'm going to put them on chains so we can wear them around our necks. That way we don't miss a message."</p><p>"Good idea," Harry agreed. "So we know who we're turning into. We've got the hair. We've got a way to communicate. Now what?"</p><p>"We wait," Hermione said. "We can't move until the Polyjuice is done."</p><p>"Can we speed it up?" Harry asked.</p><p>"I might be able to shave a week off, but in doing that it's going to drastically cut down the time we have inside the Ministry. I might be able to brew it strong enough to last… <em>maybe</em> two hours?"</p><p>"Two hours should be plenty of time," Ron said. "We know we need to get to Umbridge's office. With Ellie working as the welcome witch, she should be able to see where the office is at."</p><p>Elara nodded, "I will. But if the locket isn't in her office…"</p><p>"Then she'll have it on her, won't she?" Harry asked. "It's not like she knows what it is. Dung said she was going on about it being "S" for "Selwyn". She thinks it's her ancestor's initials, the dumb bint."</p><p>"Harry!" Elara scolded, grimacing at his language.</p><p>He rolled his eyes, leaning over to place a peck on her cheek. "Sorry."</p><p>"So three weeks, then?" Elara said, ignoring his half-hearted apology.</p><p>"Two and half." Hermione nodded.</p><hr/><p>Elara woke up panting, her hair clinging to her sweat-soaked neck at the images of Voldemort's eyes burned into her mind. She rubbed her jaw, the small scars on the underside of her chin a permanent reminder of the force of the grip he held to her face. She sat up, taking deep breaths through her nose as she tried to remind herself that it was just <em>another</em> nightmare. She reached her hand out to the right side of the bed to find it empty.</p><p>"Hermione?" She called out, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "Are you in the loo?"</p><p>She untangled herself from the silky sheets and peeked into the cracked bathroom door. The light was off, no one inside. She sighed, grabbing her wand off the dresser and tip-toeing her way down the hall. She cast a soft <em>lumos</em>, trying her best not to wake anyone else in the house. When she climbed the stairs, skipping over the two that were particularly creaky, she stopped in the doorway of the library.</p><p>Hermione was asleep on the sofa, her head in Ron's lap. Ron's head was resting on the back of the cushions, his mouth open as he snored softly. She smiled at them and decided to check on Harry while she was awake, knowing that also he had a hard time sleeping. She expected him to be awake, either looking over the layout of the Ministry they had drawn up or checking the names of their friends on the Marauder's Map.</p><p>What she was not expecting, when she slowly opened the door to the room he shared with Ron, was to find him sleeping peacefully. He was on his back, one arm folded up under the pillow, one draped over his bare chest, the beaded necklace that represented her emotions resting against the hollow of his throat. The scarlet sheets were tangled around his waist and one foot was kicked out from under them, hanging off the bed.</p><p>She stifled a laugh, smiling to herself as she looked at him. His glasses sat completely askew on his face as soft snores came from his mouth. She felt her heart pound hard against her chest as she stared at his messy raven hair, sticking up in every direction even with his head against the pillow.</p><p>She wondered if he knew how much she loved these moments.</p><p>They didn't happen often. There were rarely stress-free, quiet moments in Grimmauld Place, but she couldn't help herself appreciating them more and more every time one presented itself. She could feel it in her gut, something was going to happen soon. Every time she left the house under the cloak, she could feel the emotions of everyone- of <em>everything</em>, and it terrified her. The <em>air</em> felt different. It was heavy with high emotions of people who were afraid of what was coming. She could feel that even inside the house, they were constantly on edge. Ill-tempered and frustrated more often than not.</p><p>When they weren't constantly arguing about the best way to proceed, they were studying. They were planning. They were brewing potions and stocking their supplies up- just in case. Hermione had taken over brewing potions completely; making sure they were well stocked on every type of first-aid potion she could think to brew. She also made sure to keep a hefty stock of Elara's dampening potion on hand, having been able to easily brew it with Fred's instructions. In addition to brewing necessary medical potions, Hermione spent hours deciphering the runes in the copy of The Tales of the Beetle and the Bard that Dumbledore had left for her.</p><p>Ron, on the other hand, had proven to be a talented strategist. He spent hours creating maps of the Ministry after his surveillance shifts. He and Harry spent most of their time locked in the drawing room or at the dining room table, coming up with plans to get in and out of the Ministry as efficiently as possible. Ron had written out time tables that matched up with the Floo Network and even listed out all of the floors of the Ministry and which department was on what floor.</p><p>Elara spent most of her time studying. She poured over ancient tomes that she found in the Black family library, filled with stange and old magic she had never heard of. She studied a few books that Hermione had on horcruxes and read over everything from the art of apparition to the magic behind conjuring. She tried to absorb as much as she could, and when her head began to ache, she began taking notes. Filling roll after roll of parchments as she scribbled down important notes of lunar cycles (in case they should run into a Werewolf population) to the best way to barter with Goblins. She studied her own ideals behind blood letting to try and continue to weep the dark magic from her magical center, and read up on all the notes she could get her hands on regarding the first war and the rise of Voldemort.</p><p>A loud, deep snore broke her from her thoughts and she looked back to the bed, a small smile pulling her lips. She cancelled her <em>lumos</em> and quietly snuck toward Harry's bed, pulling back the sheets and carefully climbing onto the mattress. Taking extra care not to wake him.</p><p>She worried about him. These days, she was more worried about Harry than she was for Draco. Seeing Blaise and Draco in Diagon Alley had calmed her anxiety around them significantly. Although Draco looked ghastly, compared to his normal put-together, well-groomed state, he was okay. He promised he was okay and promised he would look after himself. She had to trust that he would, because she didn't have the energy to worry for both Draco and Harry.</p><p>And Harry was here, right in front of her.</p><p>He barely ate. He talked obsessively about the plans to get into the Ministry, going over every single detail ad nauseum to make sure they all knew exactly what their roles were. Every scrap of information he could steal, he read with fervor, pouring all of his energy into every minute detail. She had to frequently remind him to drink water and take a rest.</p><p>But Harry never wanted to rest. Every time she suggested that maybe, just <em>maybe</em>, he was becoming obsessive he would get defensive and upset and start arguing with her. It was exhausting to be around his constantly swinging moods. He remained on a razor thin line of agitated and completely hopeless. Moods that made her forever grateful that she had a dampening potion, which she took full advantage of daily.</p><p>She laid on her side, propping her head up on her elbow as she watched the shallow rise and fall of his chest with his slow breaths. She reached over, gently pulling his glasses from his face and setting them on the small table next to the bed. She remained on her side, snuggling into the mattress and pulling the sheets over her hips while she counted Harry's breaths.</p><p>She closed her eyes, letting his quiet snores lull her into a sleepy state. Just as she relaxed enough to finally fall back asleep, she heard the change in Harry's breathing. She blinked her heavy eyelids open and saw him looking at her, emerald eyes squinting in the dark.</p><p>"Ellie?" He whispered.</p><p>"Hi, Harry."</p><p>"What time is it?"</p><p>"I don't know. It was just after three when I woke up, I'm not sure how long I've been awake."</p><p>"Ron?" He asked.</p><p>"He and Hermione fell asleep in the library," She explained. "They looked comfortable, I didn't want to wake them."</p><p>He nodded and turned on his side to face her, a hand reaching out to her face. He tucked a few stray hairs behind her ear, resting his hand against her cheek. "Are you okay?"</p><p>"Nightmare," She said. "But I'll be fine. I didn't mean to wake you."</p><p>"You didn't," He said. "I've been asleep a few hours. That's about all I get these days."</p><p>She worried her bottom lip, looking at him with concern. "Harry, I can help you sleep."</p><p>He shook his head, "It's okay. I can use the extra time to go over our plans."</p><p>"You have to take care of yourself, too. How do you plan on saving the world if you're too run into the ground to hold your own head up?"</p><p>"I'm not," He said, the pad of his thumb gently rubbing against her cheek. "You worry too much."</p><p>She sighed again, sitting up and pulling her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. "I have to worry," She said. "No one else does. Hermione's busy brewing potions and deciphering that children's book. Ron is staking out the Ministry for hours a day, drawing maps and listing out everything he can think to list. And you're so absorbed into your planning and maps you snap when anyone suggests you take a moment to yourself. If I don't worry about you all, who will?"</p><p>He sat up, his back leaning against the headboard before he stretched an arm over her, grabbing his glasses from the night stand and shoving them back onto his face. "It's not your job to worry about everything."</p><p>"It's not your job to save everyone," She grumbled. "But here we are."</p><p>"Yes, it is."</p><p>She huffed a breath and laid her cheek on her knees, looking at Harry in the dark. "You carry the weight of the world on your shoulders and you don't let anyone relieve the ache in your back. How do you plan on standing upright when the time comes? When your spine is so crippled from refusing help from anyone…"</p><p>Harry stared at her for several minutes. She could feel his irritation simmering just below the surface, at her words. He studied her face, his eyes flickering around it, drawing invisible lines over the planes of her skin as he decided what to respond with. She expected him to lash out, to get angry and tell her to go away. That seemed to be his response to anyone who tried to tell him he was overworking himself.</p><p>Instead, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his chest. He pressed his lips against the top of her head, breathing in the scent of her hair. He laughed quietly as he spoke into her hair, "You always smell like orange blossoms and cranberry."</p><p>She relaxed into him, her hand ghosting over his chest, landing just below the beaded necklace. Her fingers fiddled with the beads. "You always smell like broom polish and treacle," She said, craning her neck a bit to look up at him. "Harry, I have a rock in my gut that tells me things are going to get very bad, very soon. And I'm afraid of what that means."</p><p>He sighed, pressing his lips into her hair again. "I know. I feel it too. I may not be an empath, but I can feel it in the air. The fear. It's different out there now, and every day, it gets worse. And I don't know what to do to make it stop. I know I- <em>we- </em>have to defeat him. Find all the horcruxes and destroy them. But I have no idea where to go from here. Once we get the locket, I don't know what to do."</p><p>Elara knew that Harry was going on next to no information. The task he had been given by Dumbledore was ill-informed, at best. The man had left them barely anything to go off of and she often wondered if they would be able to figure everything out before they got themselves killed. Before people they loved and cared deeply about were killed.</p><p>"We weren't given much to go off of," Elara said, stifling a yawn with Harry's chest. "I'm not even sure how we got this far."</p><p>"Dumb luck and a house elf?" Harry suggested.</p><p>Elara laughed, "Perhaps."</p><p>He tightened his arms around her shoulders, resting his head atop hers. "Will you sing to me? That lullaby that you learned from your mum."</p><p>She nodded, "Sure, Harry."</p><p>She took in a slow breath and sang the refrain of the song she knew by heart. She hoped that one day she could convince her mother to teach her the rest of the song.</p><p>"Mm," Harry sighed in contentment. "You never hum or sing anymore. It's quiet in the house when you aren't humming some tune I don't know."</p><p>They sat in a comfortable quiet, listening to each other's breath. This was the calmest she had felt him in weeks and she didn't want to disturb it by talking, so she continued to hum. She peppered his chest with small kisses as he pressed his lips into her hair every few seconds, trailing his fingers up and down her side.</p><p>"I love you, Ellie." He said, his voice sounding heavy with exhaustion.</p><p>"I love you too, Harry." She replied, "Go to sleep, love."</p><p>She gently placed a hand on his face, her fingertips pressing against his temple as she carded through his mind, looking through the emotions like a rolodex and plucking tranquil serenity from its depths, bringing it to the forefront of his mind as his eyes fluttered closed and he succumbed to sleep once more.</p><hr/><p>Elara paced the room nervously as Hermione did a running count of all the potions she added to her collection in her beaded bag.</p><p>"So when we leave, you have everything in the bag?" Elara asked.</p><p>"Yes," Hermione confirmed. "I've got all our medical potions and supplies, I even have some muggle plasters and wraps, just in case. I've got the tent, some non-perishable food- we'll have to either multiply it or nick some from a shop if we have to…"</p><p>Elara nodded, "I've got a couple blankets and some clothes.I grabbed a few books too… Oh, and I have enough potion ingredients to resupply some of our pain relief potion, should we need it. As well as an extra cauldron. You know I'm pants at potions, but I can brew a halfway decent pain relief potion. You have the essence of dittany?"</p><p>"Yes, it's here." Hermione took a deep breath, pulling her arm from her bag and looking at Elara. "I'm really nervous about this."</p><p>"Me too," She said. "But Harry's right. The polyjuice will be done tomorrow and we could spend all of autumn making plans and going over them but it's not going to make a difference. All we're doing is wasting time."</p><p>"I know. I'm just worried about-</p><p>Hermione was cut off by the sound of screaming, followed by a thud on the floor above them. Elara jumped, rushing to the door and tearing up the stairs, two at a time.</p><p>"Harry?" She called, "Harry, are you all right?"</p><p>He yelled out again and Elara saw Ron in the doorway of the bathroom, looking terrified.</p><p>"What happened?!" She asked.</p><p>"I- I don't know! We were talking and he just got up and said he needed to use the loo. I heard him shout and when I came in, he fell!"</p><p>Harry was curled in a ball on the floor, clutching his forehead. HIs eyes were closed tightly and he was groaning in pain, sweating as he panted for air.</p><p>"It's his scar again," Elara said, pushing past Ron and dropping to her knees next to Harry. She took his face in her hands. "Harry! Harry love, open your eyes. Look at me, come on!"</p><p>She could feel the panic pulsing through him, even as the dampening potion tried to work against it. <em>Fury. Panic. Fear. Rage.</em> She tried to work through the surface emotions, digging for something to calm him but every layer she peeled back released another, stronger emotion than the one before. <em>Ire. Terror. Anger.</em></p><p>"Harry, come on. Open your eyes for me," She whispered, cooing to him over and over, rubbing circles on his temples.</p><p>Finally, his eyes flew open and he shoved her away, moving onto all fours and retching violently on to the black marble floor. When he finished heaving up the french onion soup they had for lunch, he wiped his mouth on the back of his hand.</p><p>"<em>Tergeo</em>," Elara whispered, siphoning up the sick from the floor. She conjured a glass and filled it with water, handing it to Harry.</p><p>"Thanks," He said, taking tentative sips. "Why are you all in the bathroom with me?"</p><p>"You were yelling your head off, mate." Ron said.</p><p>"Hermione and I heard you from the library," Elara said. "What did you see this time?"</p><p>"He's after Gregorovitch-</p><p>"The wandmaker?" Hermione asked, from her place next to Ron in the doorway.</p><p>"Isn't that the one who made Viktor Krum's wand?" Elara asked. "I remember you saying something about it at the wedding. You've had visions of him before?"</p><p>Harry nodded, "Yeah. Yeah, he's after the wand maker. I don't know why though. He just killed a family I think in… in Germany? Russia, maybe? I don't know. I don't know what language they were talking in."</p><p>"Harry, you're not supposed to-</p><p>"I know, Hermione!" Harry snapped, "I know! But I can't always control it and if I'm going to keep having them, I may as well use them as an advantage. We know he wants the wand maker, we just need to figure out why."</p><p>"Ron, Hermione, why don't you both go fix some tea? I can handle it here." Elara suggested.</p><p>"I don't need to be handled!" Harry hissed.</p><p>Elara pursed her lips and looked at Hermione and Ron. Hermione nodded, taking Ron's elbow and leading him away from the open door. She waited until she could hear the creaking of the steps before turning back to Harry.</p><p>"I agree with you," She said. "First off, let's get that out in the open. I agree that you have this… this connection and if you can't figure out how to rid of it… Well, we may as well see it as an advantage."</p><p>"Really?" Harry asked, his voice thick with his skepticism.</p><p>"Really."</p><p>"Why? Hermione and Ron… They both think-</p><p>"Hermione and Ron don't know what it's like to have him inside your head. I do. I know how terrifying it is, and I know that if you <em>could</em> block it out, you would. But since you can't, there's no point in making a big deal about it every time. He's <em>properly</em> furious. Why?"</p><p>"I… I don't know."</p><p>"What does the wand maker have to do with it?"</p><p>"I don't know."</p><p>"Ollivander's has been boarded up for months, the man went missing a year ago. I'm betting You-Know-Who has him locked up somewhere. If that's the case, why would he need two wandmakers?"</p><p>"Maybe Gregorovitch has something Ollivander doesn't?"</p><p>"A rare wood type or something, you think?" Elara asked.</p><p>Harry shrugged, "No idea. He's been obsessed with wands since ours connected when you guys came to get me from my aunt and uncle's."</p><p>Elara sighed, pushing her hair from her face and leaning her back against the tub next to Harry. "When I got my wand, I began looking into rare wood types and cores. My wand is apparently special, according to Mr. Ollivander. I was interested… But I can't think of anything that would have him traveling through different countries. Why go through all that effort for a wand?"</p><p>"Maybe he needs a new one and he wants the best?" Harry said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I don't know if mine split his when they connected, but it didn't look great."</p><p>The cogs began to turn in her mind as she tried to piece all the information together. "You don't think he knows we're planning on breaking into the Ministry tomorrow, do you?"</p><p>Harry shook his head, "No. If he did, I doubt he'd be… wherever he's at, on a wild goose chase for some ancient wandmaker."</p><p>She nodded, "No, no I don't think he would."</p><p>She sighed, letting her head fall back against the tub and looking up to the ceiling. She was trying to connect the dots, trying to make sense of the vision Harry had. The only problem being that not all of the dots were the same. Some were squares or diamonds while others were perfectly spherical. It just didn't make sense! And it was maddening that they couldn't figure out the cause of obsession over the wandmakers.</p><p>She felt Harry's head fall onto her shoulder and she laid her own atop his. "I'm nervous about tomorrow," She admitted.</p><p>"Me too," He said. "But we've got to do something."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 19: Mayhem at the Ministry</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Pumped up Kicks by Foster the People</em>
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  <em>Creepin Up the Backstairs by The Fratellis</em>
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  <em>I'm a Wanted Man by Royal Deluxe</em>
</p><hr/><p>Elara woke early the next morning. The sun was still below the horizon and the birds had yet to begin their early morning chirping. She sat up in her bed and realized Hermione was absent as well. Knowing that Hermione shared her nerves over what they would be doing later in the morning, she assumed she was downstairs in the dining room, taking an early morning tea.</p><p>She wasn't wrong.</p><p>Hermione sat at the table, a book open to the left of her as she scribbled on a roll of parchment to the right. She had a mug of steaming tea in front of her and she looked to be completely absorbed into whatever she was jotting down.</p><p>"Been awake all night?" Elara asked, taking the spot across from Hermione at the table and muttering a 'thanks' to Kreacher when he brought her a mug of tea.</p><p>"No," Hermione said. She looked up from the parchment and pulled her mug to her lips, taking a long sip before setting the ceramic back to the table. "I've been up about an hour."</p><p>Elara drank half her tea down, rubbing at the burning in her eyes as she blinked heavily. She was still exhausted. Weeks of less than stellar sleep was beginning to take its toll on all of the inhabitants of Number 12 Grimmauld Place, but she shook it off. Knowing that even if she went back to bed, sleep would evade her.</p><p>"I think I've got all the details ironed out," Hermione announced. "I stuck a few extra things in your bag, so make sure you grab it before we leave. Just in case."</p><p>Elara nodded, "I will."</p><p>"I think we should leave a bit earlier than planned as well. Just to make sure we don't miss anyone. The welcome witch you're impersonating doesn't seem to have the most consistent schedule. She arrived in a ten minute window before or after half eight the last week. I'm not sure if she's early or late or-</p><p>"Breathe, Hermione." Elara chuckled. "We can go early. I'm sure the boys will be up soon, if they aren't already. I doubt Harry would disagree with you."</p><p>"Sorry," Hermione sighed, rolling her head on her shoulders before rubbing the back of her neck. "I just… I don't know exactly how this is going to play out. And I don't like not knowing."</p><p>"There's a lot we don't know right now," Elara pointed out. "I imagine getting the locket is only going to give us more questions without answers."</p><p>She looked down to the bracelet on her wrist and twisted it around several times. It had become something she did to try and steady her nerves, but it never really worked. If anything, it just gave her mind something else to focus on for a moment.</p><p>"I don't think you should take your potion today," Hermione said. "I think knowing the emotions of people around us will be an advantage. Do you think you can control it enough to not take the potion?"</p><p>"I'll be fine without it," She said. "I was thinking the same thing. It will give me an idea if anyone is suspicious of us. I can use the coin to let you all know."</p><p>Her fingers instantly left her bracelet to touch the sickle pendant she wore around her neck. Hermione had gotten them on chains and handed them out the night before. After testing them between the four of them, they decided they worked. With the new charms added to them, they couldn't leave messages as long as they did before. Only a few words at most now. But it would work for what they needed them for, and most importantly, they were untraceable.</p><p>The sickle hung below the sunflower on the end of the dainty chain that Emiliana Zabini had given to Elara last Christmas. She made the mental note that after today, she would ask Hermione to make another untraceable sickle to send to Blaise once they were back in the safety of Grimmauld Place. She could sneak to the public owlery in Diagon Alley and send him an envelope with the sickle to Hogwarts.</p><p>She was pulled from her thoughts as Harry and Ron entered the dining room. Both looking worse for wear and as if they barely managed an hour or two of sleep. As they took their seats, Kreacher brought out breakfast and filled a teapot for them to share.</p><p>They began talking over the details of the plan again. Going over and over the same plan they had been drafting for the last few weeks. They all knew every single movement they would be making in the two hour time frame they had at the Ministry. Before Hermione could even begin to recite her list of notes, they began talking them point by point.</p><p>As the sun finally broke through the dirty windows and shone its warm light over them, the nerves began to sink further into all of them. Without the dampening potion to help, Elara felt more on edge than usual and excused herself to take a quick shower and change. Thankful for the quarter hour of peace she would get before what was sure to be a very hectic morning.</p><p>She pulled her jeans on before yanking her light jumper over her head. She gathered her hair into a bun at the top of her head and grumbled in the mirror as the few stubborn strands refused to stay in place and fell over her face. After slipping into socks and tying the laces of her trainers tight, she opened the door and jumped when she (quite literally) smacked into Harry.</p><p>"Harry!" She laughed, shaking her head. "You startled me!"</p><p>"Sorry," He said, a sheepish smile tugging at his lips. "I didn't mean to."</p><p>"What's wrong?" She asked, frowning as she looked over him. "You feel very anxious."</p><p>"I am very anxious." He said.</p><p>"I think we all are."</p><p>He nodded and then dipped his head to claim her lips. His lips lingered over hers for much longer than a normal kiss, as if he was pushing all of his doubts into the kiss and trying to make himself confident through it. When he pulled away, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into his chest, pressing his face into her hair.</p><p>"What's this for?" She asked, feeling uncertain about the seemingly random kiss and snuggle.</p><p>"I can't kiss my girlfriend?" He chuckled.</p><p>"You can," She said. "On any normal day, I wouldn't be concerned. But on a day that we're all risking getting thrown in Azkaban to break into the Ministry of Magic? It feels a little different."</p><p>He sighed, pulling away from her and looking into her eyes. "It is, isn't it? Different today, I mean. I know we've gone over the plans a thousand times and…" He trailed off, heaving a heavy sigh. "I just want to say that I love you. And I'm sorry I've been such a total fucking prick-</p><p>"Don't say that," She said, scrunching up her face to show her distaste at the word choice.</p><p>He laughed, "Sorry. I'm sorry I've been… I don't know a better phrase."</p><p>She chuckled and tapped her chin in thought. "How about, an insufferably angry git?"</p><p>He threw his head back as he barked a loud laugh. "Yeah, all right. An insufferably angry git, then."</p><p>"You know," She began. "I accept your apology. But I would think that for the Chosen One, you would have had a better vocabulary."</p><p>He rolled his eyes and pulled her into another embrace. "Thank you," He said.</p><p>"What for?"</p><p>"Because before you, I don't think I would have cared to do any of this."</p><p>"Any of this?" She asked, pulling back from him and arching an eyebrow as she frowned. "Yes you would have, Harry. Saving people is in your blood. It's part of you. I have nothing to do with that."</p><p>"That may be true," He agreed. "But before you I wouldn't have had my <em>own</em> reasons for doing it."</p><p>"Your own reasons?"</p><p>"You." He said, as if it were the simplest thing. "In just over a year, you've completely changed me, Ellie. I wasn't sure before… I wasn't sure that I would die for this cause. I wasn't sure that if it came down to it, it was something I could do. But now, I could. I would die for you easily, if it meant that you were safe. That you would be okay. And that you didn't have to go home to a maniac living in your house. I don't know what's going to happen today and-</p><p>"Harry, stop." She said, tears building in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around his waist and held him against her. She breathed in the smell of him, broom polish and treacle. "Why are you talking like this? We aren't going to die today."</p><p>"I just wanted to tell you, in case anything should happen. I love you. I won't stop fighting until this is over, until you can go home without being tortured or killed."</p><p>"I love you too, Harry."</p><hr/><p>Elara and Hermione apparated to the alley on the side of an old cinema, first. They waited only four minutes before the welcome witch appeared and Elara stunned her. They dragged her body into the building and Elara quickly took the robes from the woman, muttering her apologies as she went through her bag to nick the identification badge and Ministry of Magic coins from the witch.</p><p>"Marianne Cleary," Elara said, showing the badge to Hermione. "She's not only a welcome witch, see here?" She pointed to the title under the name on the badge. "She's a stenographer for the Wizengamot."</p><p>"That could be useful," Hermione said, handing Elara the phial of thick muddy potion.</p><p>Once Mafalda Hopkirk approached, she was stunned and her body deposited with the Marianne Cleary's. Hermione and Elara both changed into the robes of the witches they were impersonating and waited for Harry and Ron to arrive. After about twenty minutes, a soft pop alerted them to their arrival in the alley.</p><p>Harry and Ron were already wearing the robes of the wizards they stunned on the opposite side of the building. At once, each of them dropped their hairs into the phials and waited for the colors to change. Once downing the potion and a few more minutes of the unpleasant changes to their frames, they parted from the alley.</p><p>Harry and Ron making their way to the men's restroom and Hermione and Elara to the women's.</p><p>The lines weren't long as they entered the stalls side by side. Elara stared at the toilet, wondering what <em>exactly</em> they were supposed to be doing with the loo.</p><p>"We flush ourselves in," Hermione whispered over the top of the stall.</p><p>Elara looked up, a grimace on her face as she nodded and stepped into the toilet bowl. She was relieved that while the water looked to be in the porcelain basin, it did not soak through her robes or shoes. She was sure had that happened, she would have been sick. Taking a deep breath, she reached for the chain and tugged it.</p><p>Her stomach flipped as she slid down a chute and landed in the Atrium. She looked around to see that she had been spit out of the fireplaces, much like she would have had she taken the Floo. She quickly scanned the area and found the desk that Marianne would be working.</p><p>She adjusted her bag on her back, having placed a disillusionment on the knapsack before taking it with her this morning. She was nervous it would be noticeable, that the straps of the bag were making the shoulders of her robes appear disjointed. She cast a quick notice-me-not charm and sped her way to the desk.</p><p>"Morning," A portly witch with grey hair and horn rimmed glasses said.</p><p>"Morning," Elara replied, Marianne Cleary's voice sounding much different than her own. "Sorry I'm a bit late today."</p><p>"Don't apologize to me. You're supposed to be in the hearing rooms today, aren't you?"</p><p>Her eyes went wide. "Oh, I had completely forgotten. Thank you for reminding me."</p><p>The older witch eyed her and Elara could feel her suspicion before she parted from the desk and walked toward the lifts. When the doors clanged open, she sighed in relief to see the only inhabitants were Ron, Harry, and Hermione in their polyjuiced forms. Hermione had a quill and a piece of parchment and was scribbling down notes that she was furiously explaining to Ron in a hushed voice.</p><p>"Good Morning," Harry grumbled.</p><p>"Harry, it's me." Elara said.</p><p>Ron and Hermione both looked up and smiled at her.</p><p>"I thought you were working the welcome desk?" Harry asked.</p><p>"I did too," She said. "Turns out, Marianne Cleary is also a stenographer for the Wizengamot and I'm supposed to be in the courtrooms right now, taking notes on the proceedings."</p><p>"Shit," Ron said. "Sorry- I mean… <em>Shit</em>."</p><p>"I do think shit is an appropriate response to this," Elara said.</p><p>Harry and Ron both chuckled.</p><p>"Are you okay?" Hermione asked. "Will you be-</p><p>"I'll be fine," Elara assured them. "Just make sure you find the locket and I'll figure out a way to get out of the courtrooms by the time we need to leave."</p><p>She pulled the sickle out from under her robes and took it off her neck, shrinking the chain to fit around her wrist instead. "This way, I can keep in contact with you easier than using it as a necklace. That might bring some attention to me if I'm staring at a sickle dangling from my neck."</p><p>"Good thinking," Hermione smiled.</p><p>When the soft voice called "Courtrooms" in the lift, Elara stepped out, nearly running into a short, toad-faced woman with a pink bow on her hat. Her eyes grew wide as the realization of who the woman was hit her. Just before the grates of the lift clanged shut, Elara's eyes met Harry's and he gave a sharp nod.</p><p>"Madam Umbridge," Elara said. "I apologize. I didn't mean to run into you."</p><p>"I was worried I would have to find someone to fill your place as stenographer today, Marianne. You're quite late." Her high pitched voice was dripping with forced pleasantry.</p><p>"I do apologize, ma'am. My- erm, cat was sick this morning you see," Elara said, trying to remember all of the details that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had gone over with her about Umbridge.</p><p>"Oh, poor thing." She said, making a tutting sound. "I do hope the little dear is all right."</p><p>"She'll be fine. Ate something bad, I think." Elara said. "Shall we continue on, into the court rooms?"</p><p>"You go on," Umbridge said. "I'll be a few moments. I need to gather a few things before we begin the trials today. We'll be in courtroom four."</p><p><em>Trials</em>. Elara nodded and moved forward toward the door leading to the courtrooms. She pushed the heavy door open and instantly felt sick. A terrifying feel of dread seeped into her bones and a shiver tore up her spine. <em>Dementors? They have Dementors here?!</em> She quickly pulled her coin into her hands and sent a message.</p><p>
  <em>Dementors rm 4<br/>EM</em>
</p><p>She swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to steady the thundering of her heart as she opened the door to courtroom four and passed through the threshold. Eyes fell to her as she crossed the room, her shoes clicking against the stone floor as she made her way to the empty desk at the corner of the room. She tried to keep her eyes trained in front of her, ignoring the urge to look up at the Dementors circling above her.</p><p>There was a silvery cat pacing the dais, where Elara assumed Umbridge would be seated when she returned to the room. She quickly slid into her seat, staring down at the parchment and quill already on the desk. She picked up the quill and felt the magic pool under her fingers. <em>Quick quote quill</em>, she thought.</p><p>In the courtroom, a single chair was in the center, unoccupied at the moment. On the dais, to either side of the empty chair in the front, were about a dozen witches and wizards. They all wore plum robes with a large golden "W" on the front. She surveyed them for a moment, trying to place the faces. Many of them were Death Eaters. There were a few open seats on the end for people she assumed hadn't shown up yet.</p><p>Her attention was brought back to the door when a "hem hem" filled the echo of the room. Umbridge walked in, holding her head high as she crossed the floor and made her way to the center seat of the platform. She adjusted the stack of papers in her hands and began talking amongst the other members of the Wizengamot.</p><p>"We've got what, a dozen to go through today?" A deep voice called from the far side of the seating.</p><p>"Eleven." Umbridge corrected him. "And with any luck, all eleven will be sent to Azkaban today!"</p><p>Elara's stomach churned at the comment. Eleven muggle-born witches and wizards that would be left to rot in Azkaban simply because of their blood. She felt her chest grow tight as she tried to bury the tears that were burning in her eyes. She felt nauseous. How was she supposed to just <em>sit</em> here and pretend to record these hearings? How could she not-</p><p>Her thoughts were interrupted as Umbridge leaned forward. The light hit her chest just right and the glinting of a large gold locket with an "S" engraved on the front stole Elara's attention from her own thoughts. She felt a surge of energy pulse through her as she began to try and figure out how she was supposed to get the locket.</p><p>Perhaps she could cause a distraction of some sort? She was now regretting taking the polyjuice potion. If she would have just transfigured herself, she could show who she was… That would certainly be enough to cause a hiccough in the day. She could then just… What? Stun them all? A dozen Death Eaters and blood purists?</p><p>She tilted her head to the side in thought, chewing it over.</p><p>It wasn't the <em>worst</em> idea she'd ever had. If she was able to prove who she was, no doubt she wouldn't be killed. Arrested? Absolutely. But she highly doubted any of the members of the Wizengamot or Death Eaters alike would want the blood of a dead Malfoy on their hands. Especially a Malfoy that had an insanely large cash reward attached to her head. A Malfoy that was the daughter of the wealthiest man in Wizarding Britain. A Malfoy that the Dark Lord himself wanted to keep as a pet.</p><p>No, she wouldn't be killed.</p><p>She looked down at the watch she had on, it had only been forty five minutes since she had taken the polyjuice potion. Only a little over an hour until she could show herself. She tapped her toes anxiously against the floor, hoping the hearing would hurry up and start already so she could have a distraction until the time came.</p><p>She drew in a deep breath, trying to fight off the freezing dread in her bones as she thought of Harry and the strange conversation they had this morning. It sounded like he was preparing for death. Had he known? Had he known that one of them would be captured? He likely assumed it would be himself but Elara had already decided that would happen over her dead body.</p><p>Harry could absolutely under <em>no</em> circumstances be captured today.</p><p>She felt the heat of the charmed sickle on her wrist and she looked around to make sure no one was paying any attention to her. She shook the bracelet down her arm and lifted the sleeve of her robe to see a message.</p><p>
  <em>Decoys set lvl 1</em>
</p><p>
  <em>HP</em>
</p><p>She took in a shaking breath, holding the coin as she replied.</p><p>
  <em>Locket w me<br/>EM</em>
</p><p>She hoped he understood that it meant that the office was empty. That he would be risking unnecessary damage by entering. She closed her eyes and took in another shaky breath as the doors to the courtroom opened once more to reveal Hermione disguised as Mafalda Hopkirk.</p><p>"Mafalda!" Umbridge said. "Glad you could join us. I trust you were able to look over the wands I left for you?"</p><p>"Yes," She replied, her eyes falling to the golden locket hanging against Umbridge's robes. "I did not find anything suspicious."</p><p>"Hm," Umbridge said. "We'll see about that."</p><p>The doors opened once more to reveal a tall man that Elara instantly recognized as the Death Eater Yaxley. He had the upper arm of a middle aged witch in his grasp. The poor woman looked absolutely terrified, her eyes wide as she realized there were Dementors circling above them all. Yaxley roughly shoved the witch into the chair in the center of the room and took his seat at the end of the row on the platform.</p><p>"We begin this hearing today of Mary Elizabeth Cattermole to…"</p><p>Whatever words were said by Umbridge after that, Elara didn't hear. <em>Cattermole</em>. Oh, <em>Merlin</em>! <em>How could we have missed this?!</em> Elara thought, the sinking in her stomach growing worse by the second. She was frustrated. How could they not check into the <em>families</em> of the people they were impersonating? How did they miss that wizard Ron was currently polyjuiced as, had a muggle-born wife?!</p><p>Mary Cattermole was absolutely <em>terrified</em>. Elara could feel it pulsing off the small woman in waves. She confirmed all questions asked about her name, husband, and children. A wand was held up and described by Umbridge and as the words left the toad's mouth, Elara shook with anger.</p><p>"...And who did you steal this wand from?"</p><p>"Steal?" Mary Cattermole cried. "I didn't <em>steal</em> it! I bought it! At Ollivander's when I was eleven! Just before I went to Hogwarts! It chose me!"</p><p>"You're a Mudblood, are you not?" Umbridge said, her sickeningly sweet voice laced with venom.</p><p>"I'm a muggle-born! M-my mum said that I started showing magic at the age of s-seven!" Mary Cattermole was sobbing now, hot tears cutting down her cheeks. "I went to Hogwarts in 1968! Please! I-I didn't s-steal anything!"</p><p>"That's quite enough," Umbridge said, glaring at the woman as she continued to accuse her of stealing magic.</p><p>Just as Elara had heard enough and was working up the courage to say <em>something</em>, the door opened again and Ron entered, looking over his shoulder before back to the center of the floor. A now restrained Mary Cattermole, sobbed loudly as her 'husband' entered the room.</p><p>"Reg!" She cried. "Reg! You h-have to t-tell them! We m-m-met at Hogwarts and…" Her cries were lost to Elara as she heard a voice whisper from behind her.</p><p>"I'm behind you, I see the locket. We have to get it."</p><p>She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in from her nose and tried to steady her thoughts. The fear and panic from Mary Cattermole was almost consuming and the aching in her bones from the presence of the Dementors was making it hard to concentrate. She caught Hermione's eyes and mouthed "Harry" with a small backward jerk of her head.</p><p>"What do we do?" Elara breathed. "I-I don't know what to do. They're going to send this woman to Azkaban, Harry."</p><p>"Calm down. I haven't got a plan yet… But, but I guess I'll just… <em>Stupefy!</em>" He said, pointing his wand at Umbridge.</p><p>The witch slumped forward as a jet of red light hit her square in the chest. Hermione jumped to her feet, stunning Yaxley. Harry pulled the cloak off of him and stuffed it in his robes.</p><p>"Ron, get her untied!" Harry called.</p><p>"I've got the locket!" Hermione yelled, making her way to the unconscious body of Dolores Umbridge.</p><p>Elara jumped to her feet and began shooting off stunners at the remaining members of the Wizengamot, knocking them unconscious one by one with Harry's help.</p><p>"I can't! I can't get the chains undone! Harry! Help!" Ron yelled.</p><p>As Harry sprinted to the center of the room, the realization that the silvery cat was gone hit Elara and at the same time, the Dementors began closing in. She shook with panic as her breath stilled in her chest. She fell to her knees as they began to descend, likely sensing the unnatural amount of emotion held within her soul and mind. She whimpered, trying to come up with anything to conjure a patronus. She knew it would be useless, no marked Death Eater had ever successfully done it. She thought hard, trying to come up with every single happy memory she could think of.</p><p>"<em>It has to be the best memory you can think of. The feeling of happiness is what you need."</em> Harry's words pulsed through her mind from when he had tried to teach her weeks ago, without success.</p><p>"Ex-expecto Patronum!" She said, a wisp of silver light dying almost as quickly as it was conjured. "Harry! Harry I can't! I can't conjure a Patronus!"</p><p>"Shit." Harry said, looking over his shoulder from where he stood in the center of the room.</p><p>Fear as cold as ice seeped through her mind, tearing into her brain and stealing the breath from her chest. She fell onto her back, scuffling backward trying to get away from the cloaked figures descending upon her. She could feel tears burning her freezing skin as the images of Voldemort gripping her face overwhelmed her. The feel of his razor sharp nails cutting into the underside of her chin as he laughed in her face encompassed her mind. Crimson red eyes staring into hers as the lingering feel of<em> Cruciatus</em> curse casted by her brother ripped up her spine.</p><p>She cried out, terror choking her sobs as she tried to think of <em>anything</em> else.</p><p>"The two most intelligent witches in hogwarts with us and they both struggle with a patronus!" Harry grumbled. "Expecto Patronum!"</p><p>Elara blinked several times as a large silver stag poured from the tip of Harry's wand. The warmth that flooded her senses was dizzying as she gulped in several deep breaths. Harry's hand wrapped around her elbow as he heaved her to her feet.</p><p>"You have to cast one, Ellie." He said, his tone urgent. "There's more on the other side of that door. If we're going to get through to the exit, you <em>have</em> to cast a Patronus."</p><p>"No p-pressure." She stammered, her tone bitter as she looked around the room. She was still shaking, the fear still present, still consuming her mind.</p><p>Mary Cattermole was clinging to Ron, sobbing in his arms. Ron held his wand out, a small Jack Russell Terrier chasing the Dementors with the help of a silvery otter.</p><p>"There's at least ten more people Harry!" Elara cried, looking around the room wildly. "They s-said there were… They said there were eleven being questioned today! We have to g-get them-</p><p>"We will." Harry said. He reached out, grabbing Elara's face in his hands. Her eyes met his. "Look at me, Ellie. Just look at me."</p><p>She stared into his eyes, tilting her head as they shifted from brown to emerald. "Oh-oh Merlin! Harry it's wearing off! The p-potion is-</p><p>"It doesn't matter," He said. His voice was calm and commanding. Elara briefly wondered if that was because he was polyjuiced or because he was using a tone she had never heard him take with her before. "The potion is wearing off, that is the least of our issues right now. I need you to calm down. You <em>have</em> to calm down. We have to get out of here and we can't do it if you don't cast a Patronus, okay? You have to do it. The only way we are saving all those people is if we can get out of this room."</p><p>She nodded. "Yeah." She took in several deep breaths, trying to get her nerves under control. "Yeah, okay. Okay, I can do this." She said, more to herself than to him.</p><p>"I know you can do this, Ellie. I know you can. Come on, now."</p><p>She closed her eyes, feeling wet lashes against the tops of her cheeks as she dug deep for anything she could think of. <em>Summers in the pond. Draco and Blaise teaching me to fly. Mum singing. Christmas pies. Fred's jokes. Studying with Hermione in the library. Dancing with Ron at the wedding. Kissing Harry. The first time he said I love you. The bathtub. Banana Muffins.</em></p><p>"Expecto Patronum!" She cried, her wand pointed high and her eyes still closed. The magic thrummed through her fingertips and out the end of her wand and an instant warmth filled her to her toes.</p><p>"Brilliant, Ellie!" Harry cheered.</p><p>She opened her eyes to a large, albino peacock making its way around the room.</p><p>"A peacock?!" Ron said, shocked. "Your patronus is a peacock? I didn't even know you could have a <em>patronus</em> that looked wealthy! All I've got is this stupid little mutt!"</p><p>Elara laughed loudly, her energy returning to her as the regal bird continued to make its way around the room. "What else would you expect from a Malfoy, Ron?"</p><p>"From a Malfoy wearing dirty muggle jeans and my brother's tee shirt half the time? I don't know! Not a bloody <em>peacock</em>! A ferret, maybe?"</p><p>"I'll hex you." She warned.</p><p>Ron laughed and pulled the very confused Mary Cattermole from the chair. "Come on then, let's go!"</p><p>"Hermione, the locket?" Elara called, looking around the room.</p><p>A curly head of hair poked up from the dais, her arm held high as the locket dangled from her hand. "I duplicated it! I didn't want her to make connections that its been stolen. Ellie, your hair…"</p><p>"Yours too!" Ellie called. "We've got to go."</p><p>Harry nodded, grabbing her hand and pulling her swiftly behind him as he led the way out of the courtroom. Sitting on the benches, cowering away from the Dementors, were the remaining ten people that were sent down for interrogation.</p><p>"Who has wands?" Harry asked.</p><p>Hesitant hands were raised, about half of the people had wands.</p><p>"Good. If you have a wand, pair up with someone who doesn't. Follow the Patronuses to the lifts. Leave. Get out of here, out of the country if you can." He instructed.</p><p>"There's been a break in," One of the wizards said. "I-I overheard a few officials talking…"</p><p>"Yeah, we're aware of that, mate." Ron said. "Come on, let's go!"</p><p>Ron stayed in the middle of the group, Hermione rearing behind as they moved toward the lifts.</p><p>"Harry, we can't- <em>Ungh-</em>" She groaned as her bones shifted painfully. Shrinking her a few inches to her normal height. "We can't all fit in the same lift!"</p><p>"Ron, Hermione, take half up with you. We'll take the others!" Harry called.</p><p>Ron and Hermione shoved themselves into the lift with as many of the people they could fit with them. Harry and Elara followed suit, four of the additional detainees in the lift with them. As the lift doors clanged shut, Elara saw the courtroom doors burst open.</p><p>"What do we do, Harry? How are we going to get all of these people out-</p><p>"Harry?" One of the witches behind them said. "Harry Potter?"</p><p>"Yeah, Hi. Pleased to meet you. As soon as we get to the Atrium you all need to get out. The Floo-</p><p>"Is being sealed." The same wizard who explained that he knew the Ministry had been infiltrated by them, spoke. "The man I heard said they were sealing off the exits and-</p><p>"Then we'll force our way out. This bloke, Runcorn, he's apparently got some power here." Harry explained. "We'll distract them from sealing it off. You all need to get out. Out of the country, out of town. Get home, get your families, and leave."</p><p>Elara scrunched up her face as she felt her nose shifting into place, her eyes growing larger and her chin coming to a point.</p><p>"You!" An older witch said. "You-you're a Malfoy! You're the one that's been on the cover of the Prophet!"</p><p>"Yes," Elara said, losing patience. "Yes I am. Please don't turn me in. I know it's a lot of money but I'd really prefer not to return back to Malfoy Manor anytime soon."</p><p>The grate of the lift opened and they stepped into the Atrium. It was complete <em>mayhem</em>. There were MLE wizards everywhere, sealing off the exits and shouting orders at the wizards controlling the Floo Network.</p><p>"STOP!" Harry yelled, the loud booming voice of Runcorn filling the Atrium.</p><p>"We were told to seal the exits, sir." A wiry, balding man said.</p><p>"I'm telling you now to unseal them. Or do I need to look into your family tree as well?" Harry replied, arching an eyebrow.</p><p>"No, no sir. Of course not."</p><p>Harry turned to the group, which was now joined by the group Ron and Hermione had led. "Get out. Now. Leave and do not, under any circumstances come back here."</p><p>A very confused Mary Cattermole was crying in the arms of her <em>real</em> husband, who looked accusingly at Ron as his hair began shifting from grey to red. The group rushed from their side and one by one disappeared through the Floo.</p><p>"What do we do?" Hermione asked. "Harry, where do we go? We can't apparate!"</p><p>"Floo back to Grimmauld." Harry said. "We floo back and apparate out immediately."</p><p>Hermione nodded and grabbed Harry and Ron's hands, leading them to the floo. Harry laced his fingers with Elara's and they all shoved themselves into the fireplace. As Harry called the address out, Elara screamed as she felt someone grab her free wrist.</p><p>"No!" She yelled. "No, let go!"</p><p>Yaxley bared his teeth, snarling at her as they were whisked into a swirl of green flames. His grip bruising her ankle as he made to grab for her wrist. The moment they stumbled out of the fireplace at Grimmauld place, Elara screamed,"Go! Apparate! Now!"</p><p>As the feeling of being shoved through a very tight tube threatened to take the breath from her lungs, she stole one last look at Harry and let go of his hand. Mid-apparition, she kicked Yaxley hard in the nose and tried to think of any destination to fall to.</p><p>She landed with a thud against the ground of Savernake Forest. As she looked around, trying to figure out what to do, a burning hot pain tore up her side, wrapping around her left shoulder and cutting into her bicep. She looked down, panic bubbling in her chest as the blood began to seep through the robes she stole from Marianne Cleary.</p><p>"I've been splinched." She gasped, the ground below her spinning as everything went black and she collapsed into the grass.</p><p>.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 20: Where Is She, Hermione?</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Fear of the Water by SYML</em>
</p><p>
  <em>If I'm to Die by Keaton Henson</em>
</p><hr/><p>Harry hit the ground hard, his back cracked from the force of the impact. The blood rushing in his ears dissipated the moment he heard Hermione screaming his name.</p><p>"What?" He said, scrambling to his feet. "What happened?"</p><p>"Ron!" She cried, motioning to Ron.</p><p>Harry's jaw fell open as he stared down at his friend, bleeding and shaking on the ground. His right arm was mangled. It looked as if it had been chewed up and spit back out. Hermione was tearing at his robes, opening them up to get a look at the wound.</p><p>"Don't just stand there!" She cried. "My bag! Get my bag! I need the essence of dittany and a pain relief potion! Now, Harry!"</p><p>Harry moved, his heart racing as he grabbed the small beaded bag by her side, muttering a summoning charm into it for the potions and handing them to her.</p><p>"W-what happened?!"</p><p>"He's been splinched! Yaxley had a grip on us and I tried to shake him off. We can't go back to Grimmauld place, Harry. They'll have it turned over by now…"</p><p>"It's fine," He said. "It's fine. Is Ellie okay?"</p><p>He looked around, scanning the area for the familiar head of platinum hair.</p><p>"Harry, I… I don't know what happened but Ellie-</p><p>"No," Harry said. He shook his head as he closed his eyes trying to make sense of what happened. <em>She let go</em>. "No. No! Why? Why did she let go?!"</p><p>"I'm sorry Harry," Hermione said, tears streaming down her face as her shaking hands applied the Dittany to Ron's wound. "Yaxley had a hold of her and… and I think she let go."</p><p>"How?! How can she do that? You can't just <em>let go</em> mid-apparition!"</p><p>"It's risky," Hermione said, wiping her face on her sleeve. "It's <em>really</em> risky. But you can change your destination halfway through. If she let go and then focused on another point… She basically just used my apparition to spring-board her own."</p><p>"Where is she?" He asked.</p><p>"I-I don't know."</p><p>"Where. Is. she. Hermione?" He spoke each word slowly, knowing his anger was misdirected but unsure how to reel it in.</p><p>"I don't know, Harry. I-I'm sorry. I don't know where she is."</p><p>"Where the fuck is she?!" Harry roared, tearing his hands through his hair.</p><p>"Harry, we have to set up wards. Get the tent set up. We're too out in the open here. I know you're upset but we have to set up the wards," Hermione said, her sobs breaking into the words as she put the phial of pain relief potion to Ron's lips.</p><p>"What if she tries to look for us?" Harry asked, "If she tries to look for us and I set up the wards… Hermione, she won't…"</p><p>"I know," She said, taking a deep breath as the tears continued to race down her cheeks.</p><p>Harry pulled his wand out from his robes and began walking a large circle, whispering the charms to ward the area. Hermione adjusted Ron into a more comfortable position and began erecting the tent. They worked in near silence, the only sound Harry could hear was the sniffling coming from Hermione and the stuttering breaths from Ron.</p><p>Gone.</p><p>Just like that, blink of an eye, she was gone. He had been grasping her hand not even fifteen minutes earlier. She had casted her first corporeal patronus! He had felt elated when he saw the determination pulse through her as he held her face in his hands. She was <em>marked </em>and she did it anyway! She was incredible and he couldn't wait to tell her…</p><p>And now?</p><p>When he finished putting up the wards, he helped Hermione with the tent. Once it was up, he moved Ron inside, placing him carefully on the cot. He stared down at him, a strange mix of anger and sadness over taking him as he stared at his friend. His best mate. His <em>brother</em>. Why did it have to be Ellie? Ron had plenty of options, plenty of places he could go. If they were to get separated, Ron would have been <em>fine</em>.</p><p>But Ellie?</p><p>Ellie had no one else. She had no family she could safely turn to. She couldn't go back to Hogwarts without being turned over to Voldemort. She couldn't go back to her home without being turned over. Where could she have gone?</p><p>"I need some air," Harry mumbled, shoving his wand in his too-big robes and stepping out of the tent. He walked to the edge of the wards and sat down on the ground, bringing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. He placed his forehead on his kneecaps and took in a deep breath, trying to calm his anger. Trying to concentrate.</p><p><em>The coin</em>, he thought. He pulled the charmed sickle from under his robes and held onto it.</p><p>
  <em>Are you okay?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>HP</em>
</p><p>He stared at the silver coin in his hand until his eyes blurred. Willing the stupid coin to heat up, to show that she's okay. If she responded he could figure out a place to meet her and apparate her back to where they were at now.</p><p>But what if she was injured? Ron had gotten splinched, what if Ellie had been hurt as well? Hermione and himself had been between Ellie and Ron, it would stand to reason that if Ron was splinched… He felt sick. Nauseous with the thought of her being alone somewhere, out in the open, nowhere to go, and injured. If someone found her, if Yaxley apparated with her… He tried desperately to quell the panic blooming in his chest. To calm the anger he was feeling. Why did she let go? Where would she apparate to? What made her think to let go halfway through the apparition? Why in the <em>hell</em> would she think that was a good idea?! There were four of them against <em>one</em> Yaxley. They could have easily taken him on!</p><p>
  <em>Why the fuck did she let go?!</em>
</p><p>Harry shoved both hands through his hair, yanking on his scalp out of fury. He wanted to hit something. He wanted to <em>break</em> something. He wanted to scream and kick and cry. But he couldn't move. He couldn't <em>breathe</em>. He felt like his chest was caving in, his lung collapsing in on themselves, strangling the breath that was left in his chest. His eyes were burning as he blinked furiously, trying to keep the tears behind his lashes.</p><p>Hours. Hours went by as Harry watched the shadows of the trees change. The sun began to dip below the horizon as he stared off into space, his eyes never really focusing on anything long enough to grasp it.</p><p>"<em>There isn't a person alive who can touch the fire within you."</em></p><p>Her words from weeks previous echoed in his mind. He found them ironic, now. She thought there was no one who could touch his flame, but she didn't realize that she was the <em>only one</em> who could douse it completely.</p><p>When Cedric died, Harry felt scared. He was confused and terrified as to what would happen. He had just watched Voldemort rise from the dead and reclaim his army.</p><p>When Sirius died, Harry felt lost. The only real family- <em>his family</em>, that he had left was gone. He was angry and didn't know what to do with it. He had no idea how he would move on, how he would cope with losing the only family he had left in the world. The only person to treat him like an adult and trust him wholeheartedly. Sirius's death changed him.</p><p>When Dumbledore died, Harry felt shocked. He witnessed the death, watched as Draco raised his wand, and then lowered it. Watched as Elara begged her brother to rethink the choices he was making. Watched as Snape, a professor- an <em>order member</em>, killed him without even stopping to blink.</p><p>These deaths all built and stoked the fire within him. Fed his determination to continue, to push on and do what needed to be done. To finish the job, to defeat Voldemort. They shaped his mind and soul, groomed him for what was to come.</p><p>But losing Elara?</p><p>When she ended their relationship in February, he felt lost without her. He thought about her constantly and couldn't even look in her direction without wanting to break down. He knew she was something special the moment he laid eyes on her. He loved her from the very second he saw her in Madam Malkin's before their session at Hogwarts ever even started. He knew that now. He knew that his watching after her, his anger toward her for being a Malfoy… It was misdirected. Because the moment his eyes landed on the swirling silver of hers, he knew he was done for.</p><p>He knew, back in February, that even though she was ending things with him… Even though she was a marked Death Eater, it wasn't the end. He wouldn't <em>allow</em> it to be the end. And when she came back to him, when she confessed everything and tried to make things right again, he knew she was it. Elara Malfoy was it for him and he would do whatever he had to do to keep her safe.</p><p>But now? Now he felt <em>hollow</em>.</p><p>His chest ached with the emptiness. His mind was cold with numbness as the realization that she would not return to him anytime soon sunk in. He thought of his father. The stories he had heard about how much James loved Lily, and how he knew from the moment he saw her that she would be his forever. Harry understood that, now.</p><p>He wondered what his father would have done in this situation. Would he have abandoned the ship to find his mother? Would he put everything on hold until he laid eyes on her again? Until he knew she was safe? Or would he continue on with the plan? Would he have just accepted defeat and hope, pray, that one day soon they would be reunited? Of course, not. Because without a shadow of a doubt, Harry believed his father would have never let this happen in the first place. He wouldn't have let the love of his life get separated from him. He would have done something to-</p><p>"Harry?"</p><p>Harry looked up from the patch of dirt he was staring at, his eyes taking a moment to adjust to Hermione as she approached him.</p><p>"Are you okay? You've been out here for hours," She said.</p><p>"I'm…" His voice broke before he could even try to lie to her.</p><p>"Oh, Harry…" Hermione said, dropping down next to him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "I'm sorry. I don't know what to do to find her. I tried sending her messages on the coin but…"</p><p>"She didn't answer," He said, knowingly. "I tried too."</p><p>"Harry, I don't know what to say to help you. I'm sorry."</p><p>"It's not your fault," He sighed. "I just… I don't… I don't know what to do now. I don't know where she could have gone. I… I feel so <em>empty </em>now, Hermione."</p><p>"I don't know where she went, either. I've been trying to figure out anywhere she could have gone. Trying to remember if we talked about anywhere secluded… But I just can't remember."</p><p>"I know the Malfoy's have a home in France, Marseille, I think." Harry said.</p><p>"International apparition is nearly impossible at that distance. Especially to let go while already apparating, I don't think she'd be there."</p><p>"Me either," He admitted. "I just don't know where else to look."</p><p>"I don't think we can, Harry. We can't apparate until Ron is healed. It'll just tear his arm apart again. I brought the wireless though. We can listen to that, see if there's any mention of her."</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>They sat in silence as the sun set and the cool autumn air settled over them. The chill sent shivers through his back, but he couldn't bring himself to stand up and go into the tent. He stared up at the stars, making up his mind.</p><p>He would move forward. He would keep trying to locate the remaining horcruxes. Because if Elara was okay, if she was trying to find him, she would expect him to keep going. Because for whatever reason, she chose him too. She loved him too. And she <em>believed</em> that he would succeed. So he had to. For her.</p><hr/><p>Elara moaned in agony as a chill tore up her spine and caused a deep shiver to shake her from her slumber. She blinked, her eyes heavy, as she tried to remember what happened. Her entire body was freezing and she was shaking. Her left arm felt like it was on fire, and she couldn't move it.</p><p><em>Splinched</em>.</p><p>She carefully sat up, pulling the disillusioned knapsack from her back and cancelling the charm on it. She cried out in pain when the shoulder strap that was resting over her left shoulder tugged on her arm. Elara opened the bag and dug around inside, breathing in relief when her fingers wrapped around the tiny glass phials. She pulled them out and saw them labeled as pain relief, and sighed. She was never more thankful for Hermione's over-planning than in this moment. She was so glad the witch had packed a few extra things in her bag for her, just in case.</p><p>She used her teeth to yank the stopper from the phial, spitting it into her hand and downing half the contents. She replaced the stopper and dropped the phial back into the bag. She <em>needed</em> a whole one, but she wasn't sure how much she had readily available and a half dose would be enough to at least take the edge off.</p><p>She stood as carefully as she could manage and began setting wards around the area. She felt woozy and nauseous on her feet. She stumbled around, tripping over the divots in the ground and swaying dangerously as she tried to remain upright to set the wards. She had to set them. No matter what, she had to set the wards. She was a wanted witch, having just been identified breaking into the Ministry with Harry. If someone stumbled upon her in the current state she was in, she would be delivered to Voldemort with a bow on her head. Looking down at the robes she wore, she could see she had lost a significant amount of blood. She would need blood replenishers, but she didn't have the energy to try to brew it.</p><p>By the time she finished setting up the wards, she was exhausted. She collapsed on the ground and stuck her arm into the bag again, pulling out two of the blankets she had shoved in the knapsack. She used her wand to tear through the fabric of one of the blankets, creating a sling to hold her arm in place. She grabbed her left wrist and gingerly bent her arm, tucking it into the makeshift sling and hoping that it would be enough for the night. She could wrap it tomorrow.</p><p>She wrapped herself in the remaining blanket and cast a few warming charms in addition to conjuring the small blue flames that Hermione had taught her. She found a jar of almonds in her bag and emptied them into a scrap of the blanket, tying it up and tossing it back into the bag. She filled the jar with water, drinking it down quickly before putting the blue flames in the jar and laying back on the ground. She curled her body around the jar, hoping it would be enough to keep her from freezing throughout the night.</p><hr/><p>When she woke the next day, she looked at her watch to see that it was almost noon. The face of the watch was broken and the chain with the sickle attached to it was missing. Her heart sank as she realized that Yaxley must have grabbed hold of it when he caught her wrist.</p><p>She vaguely remembered kicking the man in the face. She hoped it broke his nose.</p><p>She drifted in and out of sleep for most of the day. When she finally woke up again, she discovered getting her jeans down to relieve her bladder was almost more effort than it was worth. When she walked back to the center of the warded area, she began digging through her knapsack. She dug out the almonds she had dropped in earlier in the day and snacked on them as she pulled out the dozen or so phials Hermione had stocked. She sighed in relief when she found two that were labeled "Blood Replenish" in Hermione's perfect scrawl.</p><p>She opened one phial and took it down, grimacing at the taste. However awful the metallic taste of the potion, she felt slightly better within minutes. The ever lingering dizziness eased and she could feel some heat draw into her bones, ridding her body of the persistent chill that had taken over her since landing in the forest.</p><p>Two days passed. Two days that Elara's mind weaved in and out of consciousness. Sipping half doses of pain relief potion, to try and stretch what little stock of it she had. She drank as much water as she could conjure and fell back into oblivion for a few more hours before repeating the process.</p><p>On the third day, she woke with more energy than she had had since landing in the forest. She needed to heal her arm. She needed to keep moving. She had next to no coverage where she was, she needed to get supplies and food. She pulled a few books from her bag and her eyes lingered on a muggle medical text she had decided to bring with her from Hermione's house.</p><p>Hermione's parents were teeth healers. They had several volumes of interesting text about caring for teeth and performing procedures of the mouth they called 'surgeries'. The procedures were grotesque, borderline psychotic and Elara had been confused as to why <em>anyone</em> would ever willingly let a person slice their mouth open to extract teeth. And then use <em>thread</em> to…</p><p>Thread… Muggles used thread to sew their wounds back together.</p><p>Her heart began pounding in her chest, her stomach clenching at the realization of what she would need to do. Slowly, Elara pulled her arm from the sling, dry sobs tearing from her throat as she began to pull the robes from her body to get a better look at the wound. She nearly screamed when she had to raise her arm to remove her jumper.</p><p>Sucking in a few deep breaths, she flipped the medical book open to the chapter that talked about stitching the wounds closed. She felt the bile burning the back of her throat as she read the details of what was required. She needed a sterile needle and a special type of thread. She had neither. She stared at the page in defeat.</p><p><em>You're a Slytherin. Act like it. Use your resources..</em> A voice that strangely echoed Blaise's, screamed at her.</p><p>Resources? <em>What resources</em>? She was alone in the middle of a forest with a knapsack and… She tilted her head to the side, squinting at the bag. In the light of the sun, the polished goblin-forged platinum clasps caught her eye.</p><p>If she could remove the clasps from the bag, she could transfigure a needle. The platinum would certainly be strong enough to push through skin and she could easily sterilize it with a quick <em>scourgify</em> and the blue flames.</p><p>She held the clasp in her hand and pointed her wand at it, muttering any spell she could think of to try and separate the metal from the dragonhide exterior. She was silently cursing herself the entire time, becoming frantic when the metal refused to release. Nearly indestructible bag, a really good thing to have, sure. Really terrible to have when you <em>need</em> to pull it apart.</p><p>With a clever combination of a severing charm and a <em>bombarda</em>, Elara finally broke free the center of the buckle. A three inch long, thin piece of platinum. She sighed in relief as she whispered the spell to transfigure it into a needle and nearly cried when it worked.</p><p>She pulled apart the hem of the ministry robes she had been wearing, unraveling the thread that pieced the sleeves to the body and cast a <em>scourgify</em> on the material before looping it through the end of the needle, tying it into a knot so that it would hold. She grabbed a phial of pain relief potion and took two sips, knowing that if she took more than that, it would make her too loopy to continue.</p><p>She reached to the side of the book and pulled a stick off the ground and bit onto it before casting a deep cleaning spell on her arm. She cried out, her teeth clenching around the stick as her breath came in heavy pants.</p><p><em>You can do this, Elara. You have to do this. Harry needs you. You have to move, you have to find him</em>.</p><p>Taking in several deep breaths to try and calm her nerves, she looked at the text one last time before blinking the tears from her eyes and piercing the needle into her skin. The sob that left her mouth sounded inhuman.</p><p>Elara blew rapid, hot breaths through her nose, wiping the tears that were collecting in her eyes on the back of her hand. She shoved the needle through the other side of her shoulder, tugging the thread through her skin and feeling her stomach turn in on itself as the layers of flesh tugged and pulled.</p><p>She continued working, the needle piercing her skin over and over as she pulled it through her shoulder at haphazard angles. A cold sweat had begun pouring down her back, her neck soaked, her hair sticking to it. She used her wand to levitate the needle and thread, driving it through the back of her shoulder, where she could not reach.</p><p>She could feel the shock taking over her body as she worked, tugging and pulling through layer after layer of blood soaked skin. Every puncture, worse than the last. As she rounded the front of her bicep, she screamed, biting down on the stick so hard it broke in her mouth as the needle refused to drive through easily. She could see the separation of connective tissues just below her skin, sinewy muscle pulsing beneath her fingers as she broke down, howling in pain.</p><p>She clenched her teeth, drawing in as much air as she could, ignoring the spittle that escaped through her lips as she steeled herself to push the needle further into her skin. Her fingers slipped from the blood soaking her arm and her throat burned as an ear piercing scream escaped her chest.</p><p>Finally, she was done. She used her wand to sever the thread and summon a phial of pain potion from her bag. She downed the entire thing and within moments, she lost consciousness. The last thing on her mind was the feel of Harry's hands holding her face, telling her she could do it as she looked into his eyes.</p><p>"<em>I know you can do this, Ellie. I know you can. Come on, now."</em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 21: Fight or Flight.</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Ego by scruffpuppie</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lose a Friend by Beowulf</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Edition by Rex Orange County</em>
</p><hr/><p>It took a week after sewing her own arm back together for Elara to stay awake longer than an hour at a time. Finally, after living off of the almonds she had been duplicating and stretching and rationing her pain potions, she felt decent enough to leave the comfort of her wards in search of food that was slightly more substantial.</p><p>She grabbed her wand and carefully began creeping through the forest, leaving small scorch marks in the trunks of trees to mark a trail of where to walk back to. The last thing she needed was to get lost and not be able to locate her knapsack. As limited as the supplies she had were, she found it hard to believe that she would survive very long without them.</p><p>She had luck with finding a blackberry bush. Hermione had been insistent that they each study edible plants and know what types of wild berries and mushrooms would be poisonous. Elara never disagreed with this line of thinking, but she was thanking Merlin, Godric, Helga, and Rowena that she took it seriously. She made a small pouch out of the hem of her jumper and filled it with the berries.</p><p>She thought maybe, if she were lucky, she may be able to set a trap and catch a rabbit at some point. The idea of hunting her own food had turned her stomach months back when they had discussed it as a possibility. However, after essentially sewing her own arm back to her body and using her fingers to hold muscle together as she did it, killing a rabbit didn't seem so bad.</p><p>As Elara made her way deeper into the forest, she found a small clearing next to a stream and smiled. She could set up camp here. There was a bit more coverage than the spot she was currently in at the edge of the trees and there was a stream, which meant she could properly wash herself instead of using cleansing charms. Feeling better about her predicament than she had felt in the last eight days, she quickly made her way back to the edge of the trees to collect her knapsack and take down the wards.</p><p>She popped the berries in her mouth as she walked, her eyes scanning the forest floor at the vegetation that had grown, looking for anything edible she may have missed on her way into the trees. Her mind began to wander as she walked, wondering what Harry, Ron, and Hermione were doing now. Were they safe? Had they figured out how to destroy the locket yet? Had it led them to another horcrux? Were they looking for her?</p><p>They wouldn't find her, if they were. She was sure of that. She had apparated to a forest that lay between Marlborough and Great Bedwyn. And while it wasn't exactly <em>far</em> from her home in Wiltshire, it wasn't close either. She remembered the Savernake Forest, having only been in it once as a child, she was certain she wouldn't have mentioned it to Harry at any point. In fact, she wasn't even sure why the location had popped into her head. She was glad it had.</p><p>
  <em>Suspicion. Excitement.</em>
</p><p>Elara stopped dead in her tracks, dropping the front of her jumper and feeling her heart sink as the berries fell to the ground. She ducked behind a tree and waited. It had been over a week since she had felt any emotion other than her own. Someone was here. The chance of a muggle wandering randomly through the forest was slim, especially considering the lack of trails or attractive flowers where she was at.</p><p>She strained her ears, trying to focus and see if she could-</p><p>"It's just a sickle."</p><p>Elara's stomach dropped. She knew the bracelet had gone missing, she had stupidly thought it was torn from her arm and Yaxley had it. Apparently, she had been very wrong.</p><p>"It's on a chain though. Why would someone put a sickle-</p><p>"Oi, you feel that? There's magic around here. Must be a mudblood or two hiding out. I wonder how much we'll get for these ones?"</p><p>"More than a bloody sickle, I'd wager."</p><p>"Doesn't matter, does it? It's the thrill of the hunt, for me."</p><p>"Well we can't all be blessed with lycanthropy, Greyback."</p><p>"Keep talking like that and I'll make sure you're turned next full moon."</p><p>"Is that a threat?"</p><p>"A promise if you keep working my fucking nerve!"</p><p>"Will the two of you shut up!?"</p><p>Elara clasped a hand over her mouth, trying to muffle her breathing as she cast a disillusionment charm over her head and crept quietly toward the men who were bantering between one another.</p><p>"Oi! What's crawled up your arse?"</p><p>"I've got a feeling we ought to hang around this forest a few days. If we're finding loose sickles around it could be her. The Malfoy girl is worth a hundred thousand if we can bring her in alive. Malfoy Manor isn't too far from here, if she's making her way home, we should get the reward."</p><p>"I don't even think a Malfoy knows what a bloody sickle looks like, all those galleons they have."</p><p>"You think Yaxley will be coherent enough to recognize the sickle? It's on a chain. Maybe she was wearing it?"</p><p>"He let a seventeen year old witch shake him loose mid-apparition! He deserves every round of cruciatus Lestrange blasts his way. Fucking tosser."</p><p>"They say she's got powers though. Some strange old magic in her blood. That's why the Dark Lord wants her."</p><p>"The Dark Lord wants anyone he can get his hands on, I reckon…"</p><p>The voices began to fade and soon, she couldn't hear or <em>feel</em> anyone around. From where she stood, she could see the copse of trees she had been hiding in. She could feel the magic of the wards. She sprinted, moving as quickly as she could back to the spot. As soon as she walked through the wards, she yanked her bag up over her good shoulder and took off running in the opposite direction.</p><p>She kept running until she could no longer move her feet. When she finally collapsed, she was in a heavily wooded section of the forest, deeper than she had ventured into yet. The sunlight was blocked by the thick brush of the branches and the light that broke through was tinged green. She immediately began setting up the wards and decided she would just have to live off of over-duplicated, no longer nutritionally substantial almonds and whatever she could eat that grew within the wards.</p><p>At least until she figured something else out.</p><hr/><p>Several days passed. Between starvation, teetering on the edge of constant agony from being splinched and lack of decent sleep, Elara was feeling rather delirious. She spent most of her days trying to sleep or find food, unfortunately, the weather was getting colder and she knew if she didn't do <em>something</em> soon, she would die in this thick of trees.</p><p>She had spent time making a few sorry attempts at pain potions with the limited ingredients she had packed in her bag. Albeit, they were much weaker a brew than anything Hermione would have made, but it was enough to get her through. Her shoulder hurt all the time now. Lack of food and proper rest had her convinced that it would never fully heal, especially without something a little more powerful to speed it along.</p><p>With her arm still barely attached, the risk of apparating again was far too great. She was alone, out of any potent pain potion, out of blood replenishers… She couldn't risk the splinching. If she were to splinch again, she knew it would be the last thing she ever did. And she couldn't die like that. Not before she saw her family one last time. Not without seeing Hermione and Ron again. Not without Harry.</p><p>She had spent many hours in the forest thinking of Harry. Wondering where he was at, or what he was doing. She hoped he was safe, hoped he wasn't doing anything rash. Although, knowing him, he was. She chuckled to herself as she thought about it. It was one of things she really loved about him, even if it annoyed her to no end. Harry was the type to act first and ask questions later. He was decisive and sure in moments of pressure and stress and he stuck to his beliefs. She hoped he was still pursuing the task at hand, hoped he was still forcing himself to hunt for the remaining horcruxes. Hoped that if he kept himself busy, he wouldn't focus on her absence. Because as much as Harry was reckless in the face of battle, he was fiercely protective and relied on his loved ones for the occasional ego check or pep talk. She also hoped that he was keeping his temper in order.</p><p>Elara began digging through her bag, pulling out the different books she had packed. Some of them weren't very helpful right now, and she was cursing herself for bringing volumes like… Whatever this was that had fallen open to…</p><p>
  <em>Wait a moment..</em>
</p><p>She looked down at the book, tilting her head as she scanned the chapter title. <em>"Travel Spells and Their Applications</em>". She gasped, leafing through the chapter, skimming it with her finger before she landed on what she was looking for. Her hand went straight to the sunflower pendant hanging from the necklace she never took off.</p><p>"<em>...While a Portkey must be registered with the Ministry of Magic for regulation and control of one's whereabouts, [Artitcle IV Subsection A, paragraph 9 of Magical Travel Regulations and Laws] creating a new Portkey is as simple as using the spell "Portus Muta Locum" while magically linking the new destination to the object at hand. This process is akin to that of apparition, providing the witch or wizard the ability to create a Portkey connected location based off mentally envisioning one's location…"</em></p><p>Elara's heart thundered in her chest. According to the article, all she needed was a "previously established portkey" and the approval of the ministry through signed documents… The latter being to avoid imprisonment should she be caught changing the location of a registered portkey. <em>Lucky for me</em>, she thought. <em>This Portkey was never registered</em>.</p><p>She set to work, digging out a parchment and quill to list out pros and cons of every location to move to that she could think of. Of any location she had heard Hermione talk about, of every location she knew was special to Harry, of every place Ron had previously suggested. She had filled two full rolls of parchment with the lists before narrowing it down to a handful of locations.</p><p>Emiliana Zabini's flat in Tuscany. The Portkey's originally intended location. International travel was never easy through any means of travel, so it could be damaging to her arm. But she knew Emiliana would keep her safe, if she hadn't been implicated herself. Which was a very likely scenario considering Death Eaters had already tortured her and had her properties being watched. Although with Blaise being back in school, perhaps they would have left her alone, now?</p><p>The Forest of Dean. She remembered having a discussion once with Hermione about how she visited it frequently as a child with her family. It has importance to her, so that could certainly be a place she'd think of to apparate to.</p><p>Godric's Hollow. She thought it would be unlikely that they would travel there, but she knew Harry had talked about wanting to go see the home his parents lived in, to see if they could find answers there. Bathilda Bagshot lived there, and he had mentioned her name more than once since Bill and Fleur's wedding.</p><p>The Burrow. She remembered Lupin mentioning that most of the Order had taken off to safe houses after the wedding. She was sure the Burrow had been raided and that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley would have fled by now. Although they loved their home, they wouldn't stay there if it put their lives or their children's lives in danger. They would more than likely be locked in a safe house with other Order members given their family's connection to Harry.</p><p>She stared at the narrowed down list. Four options, looking back at her. She knew it was unlikely that they would go to Godric's Hollow, regardless of how badly Harry wanted to. It was too risky, and Hermione would not allow a frivolous trip for the sake of it. She scratched that one off.</p><p>If this spell worked similarly to apparition, she would need to scratch off the Forest of Dean as well. She had only been there once herself, as a child. She could barely remember much about the trip, let alone it's location. The risk of injuring herself again was far too great. While she was certain they would probably spend time there, she couldn't afford to lose her arm completely.</p><p>That left Emiliana's home and the Burrow.</p><p>She spent the rest of the evening weighing the pros and cons between the two, but eventually it was the growling of her stomach and the need to feel close to her friends that won out. She would go to the Burrow, first thing in the morning. Tonight, she needed to prepare a plan. Make sure she had all of her (already limited) supplies and everything packed tightly and work on getting the Portkey to change locations.</p><p>She thanked every star in the sky that night that while she was absolute <em>rubbish</em> with potions, she excelled at charms and was a quick learner when it came to new ones. She read the articles over and over, trying to figure out <em>exactly</em> where she wanted to land on the grounds of the Weasley family home. The text said that the Portkey, once the spell had been successfully cast, would be hot to the touch and glow cerulean for five full seconds before the light faded and the object would be ready to use for travel.</p><hr/><p>Elara bellowed a strangled sob of frustration tearing from the back of her throat as she pounded angrily on the ground beneath her. It had been four days of nonstop practicing the <em>stupid, stupid, stupid</em> incantation for the Portkey; all while her brain slipped deeper into a foggy, starving, haze. Her arm was throbbing from the terrible excuse of a pain relief potion she had managed to brew and she was fairly certain the wound was getting infected.</p><p>Her stomach churned and growled furiously again, and she filled her jar with water from an <em>Aguamenti</em> spell and gulped it down. Hoping she could trick it into thinking she was full. She had lost track of how much time had passed since the break in at the Ministry. She was sure it had been about a month, which meant it had been that long since she had eaten an actual meal.</p><p>She wiped the tears of anger that leaked from her eyes as her attempt to cast the charm failed yet again. If she didn't get it figured out soon, there was a good chance she wouldn't make it much longer. She could move on foot, she supposed. But even moving camp seemed exhausting, and besides the one run in with the group shortly after she landed in the forest, she hadn't heard or seen or <em>felt</em> another human. She was safe from capture here, but starvation and the ever-growing cold air was another story.</p><p>Elara practiced the wand motion again, trying to clear her mind of her current frustration and focus on the task at hand. She waved her wand in the intricate pattern and whispered the incantation and…</p><p><em>Cerulean!</em> She nearly choked when the blue light hit her eyes, she reached down to touch the pendant and instantly pulled her fingers back at the heat of the little metal sunflower. Her heart swelled and she let out a dry sob as she counted the seconds. <em>Five, four, three, two, one…</em> <em>Finally!</em></p><p>
  <strong>OOOOOOOOOOOO</strong>
</p><p>It had been nearly a month since the Ministry. Nearly a month without Elara there with them to try and calm everyone's frustrations by humming a tune, redirecting focus to some sort of dueling exercise, or forcing them all to have a peaceful evening with her abilities. Hermione was on a frazzled edge more so than usual without Elara there to pull her from a spiraling rabbit hole of facts and texts. Without someone there to nag her into taking a break from the books and focus on something different for awhile.</p><p>Ron had become obsessed with listening to Potterwatch. He carried the wireless around with him everywhere he went, listening to the names of those missing and presumed dead. He moaned constantly about being hungry and cold. Complaining when they hit a dead end in an idea Hermione had. Irritated with Harry and his lack of knowledge or suspicion against other members of the Order. Ron was working Harry's nerve. He knew that in part, it was the locket. They had discovered that wearing it caused them to be far more testy with one another than they would be. But the combination of lack of food, rest, and the cold with the effects of wearing the locket had proven to take the hardest hit to Ron's psyche.</p><p>Harry knew he was teetering the very thin line of what remained of his sanity being in this tent. He was angry <em>all the time</em> and wearing the Horcrux didn't help. It exacerbated the issues, putting him further on edge and making him snappy with everyone. He couldn't help but think of all the things that had gone wrong at the Ministry and how they could have avoided losing Elara. If he had been faster, if he had noticed Yaxley sooner, if he hadn't let his reckless anger get the best of him…</p><p>
  <em>If, if, if.</em>
</p><p>It was already November, and Harry worried constantly for Elara. As much as he hated listening to Potterwatch, he had to admit that every broadcast that left her name off the missing or presumed dead list brought him a little relief. She was brilliant. There was no way she had been captured. She may have been terrible at potions, but she was excellent at charms and transfiguration. Surely, she would be okay.</p><p>She had to be, because if he took the time to focus on what could actually have become of her, it made him nauseous.</p><p>It was <em>his</em> fault. Everything was his fault. She tried to distance herself from him. She tried to end things with him and he just wouldn't take no for an answer. He followed her around like the lovesick puppy he was until she finally caved and spilled everything to him. Until she finally gave in and let him take her away. She would be safe inside of Hogwarts right now, if he had just left it be all the way back in February. She would be on their side, but her brother wouldn't let anything happen to her. Zabini would have looked out for her.</p><p>But instead, she threw away everything. She threw away her entire life as she knew it to follow him into the dark and he <em>just let her.</em> He just let her follow him into something he had no manual for! He was beyond angry with himself. If he <em>really</em> loved her, he would have found a way to force her to stay behind, wouldn't he?</p><p>But he <em>did</em> love her. He knew that. It was the <em>only</em> thing he was absolutely certain about, these days.</p><p>"Oh my God!" Hermione said, nearly jumping out of the seat she was in at the table. She shoved away the badly charred fish she was attempting to choke down and began pacing the floor. "I can't believe I didn't think of it before! I can't… Harry! Harry, when you destroyed the diary, you used a Basilisk fang, right?"</p><p>Harry looked up from the book in his hands that he had been pretending to read for the last… Hour? Two hours? While he used the time to feel sorry for himself for fucking up so royally that Elara was missing from them. "Erm... Yeah. Yeah, it was a fang. Why?"</p><p>"That's why he left the sword! That's why Dumbledore left you the sword, Harry! Don't you see?!" Hermione sounded nearly beside herself with excitement.</p><p>"Um… I'm gonna be really honest with you here, Hermione. I have no idea what you're on about."</p><p>She laughed loudly, tossing her head back. "Harry, the sword is Goblin made!"</p><p>He furrowed his brows together in confusion, unsure as to why that would answer every question he had right now. "Okay…"</p><p>She huffed, shoving both hands through her hair and chuckling lightly to herself. Something Harry had grown to realize she did every time she knew she had the answer to something no one else could solve.</p><p>"Care to share with the class?" He said.</p><p>"Goblin forged metals are expensive because they're nearly impossible to damage. They don't rust or break. Even using spells to break them, it's incredibly difficult and would take hours of intense curse breaking to snap a Goblin forged weapon. Goblin metals get stronger and stronger with every passing use because they take on any curse, spell, metal, or <em>venom</em> that would make them stronger."</p><p>"Venom?"</p><p>"Venom," Hermione confirmed. "Like the venom of an ultra rare magical creature whose venom is known to be nearly priceless."</p><p>"I killed the Basilisk with the Sword…"</p><p>Hermione smirked, "You're starting to piece it together now…" She teased.</p><p>He stood up and began pacing. If the metal only took on what made it stronger, he killed the Basilisk with the sword. The Basilisk fang is what he stabbed the journal with, which meant the venom was strong enough to kill a horcrux. Which meant Dumbledore left the sword to him because…</p><p>"Oh," He said, stopping in his tracks and whipping around to Hermione. "<em>OH!</em> That means the sword is <em>loaded</em> with Basilisk venom!"</p><p>"Completely impregnated with it!" Hermione nearly cried with joy.</p><p>"Do you think it would be-</p><p>Harry's words died in his throat as the sound of clapping came from behind them. He turned around and saw Ron, standing against the support beam of the tent and clapping his hands loudly.</p><p>"Congratulations," Ron said. "Figured out why it was left. Not where it's at though. We still don't know that. Just one more bloody thing to look for."</p><p>"Yes well, it can't be <em>that</em> difficult to find!" Hermione countered. "It belongs to the school, I'm sure it's probably there!"</p><p>"Probably there? Running on a lot of probably and hopefully lately, don't you think?" Ron snapped.</p><p>"Mate," Harry began, his tone low and warning. "I've told you everything I know. You knew this wasn't going to be-</p><p>"I thought you <em>knew</em>! I thought you maybe had some sort of answers or-or at least an <em>idea</em> of what the fuck we had to do! Instead, we're skipping place to place, starving and hypothermic! My family is out there and I have no idea if they're okay! Not to mention we lost Ellie and-</p><p>"Shut up!" Harry said, his anger rearing up at the sound of Ellie's name. "Shut up, Ron!"</p><p>"No!" Ron said, taking a step toward him. "You two can sit and conspire all day! It's like I'm not even here most the time and-</p><p>"That's because all you do is hug that bloody wireless and complain!" Harry spat, "You're perfectly happy to piss and moan about everything wrong with what we're doing but you don't offer any fucking help!"</p><p>"Harry!" Hermione said, her mouth open in shock."Don't say that!"</p><p>Harry turned toward her, "No! No, Hermione! You know it's true!" Harry whirled back around, pointing an accusing finger at Ron. "He's done <em>nothing</em> but act like a total wanker since we landed here! You want to complain about the food? About the temperature of the tent? About the lack of information?! Then fucking <em>help us</em>."</p><p>"It's no wonder Ellie let go," Ron hissed, his jaw twitching angrily as his face screwed up in rage. "She <em>knew</em> your fucking temper was a problem. Don't think we didn't hear the two of you arguing more than once! She knew you had nothing and she let go because she didn't want to be fucking dragged through it!"</p><p>"Fuck you!" Harry roared, "You don't know what you're talking about! You're just mad because you don't have someone here to clean up after you and wipe the spit from your chin! Ellie knew what was coming! Ellie <em>knew</em> there was next to no information! The same as you! I'm sorry this isn't to your very high standards, Ron. But I don't know what you were expecting!"</p><p>"I expected some fucking answers! I expected that I wouldn't be thrown to the side like fucking rubbish when the two of you," Ron motioned furiously between Harry and Hermione. "Came up with something! I expected Ellie to fucking be here to keep us sane! To keep <em>you</em> sane!"</p><p>"Ron, please!" Hermione said.</p><p>"Stop talking about Ellie!" Harry said, closing the space between them. "Stop fucking talking about her like it was my fault!"</p><p>"IT WAS YOUR FAULT!" Ron bellowed. "ALL OF THIS IS YOUR FAULT!"</p><p>Before Harry could think, he saw red. The rage in his body sent a pulse down his spine and in the span of blink, he balled up his fist and sunk it into Ron's face, feeling his teeth split the skin on the top of his knuckles and watching as Ron's lip split and began bleeding.</p><p>"No!" Hermione shouted. "No! Stop it! Stop fighting!"</p><p>Ron's face was nearly purple with rage as he returned the blow to Harry, catching him just below the eye and cracking the left lens of his glasses.</p><p>"Fuck you, Ron!" Harry said. "You're welcome to leave! I'm not keeping you here! If you think you can stand it, then go!"</p><p>Ron spun on his heels, tearing his hands through his hair. "You want me to go-</p><p>"No, Ron! No! It's… It's the locket! You've been wearing it all day! Just take it off and have supper and-</p><p>"I can't choke down anymore of this bloody fish," Ron snarled. He grabbed the chain of the locket and ripped it off his neck, throwing it onto the table. "Good fucking luck." Ron lingered at the opening of the tent for a moment before turning around and looking at Hermione. "You coming?"</p><p>Hermione was crying and she threw her hands up in desperation, "We <em>promised</em> Ron! We promised not to let him do this alone! I can't…"</p><p>Ron scoffed, nodding. "Yeah well, good riddance."</p><p>Harry stood, his chest rising and falling in rapid angry pants as Ron left the tent. Hermione looked to Harry in desperation before running after Ron. He heard shouting and a loud <em>crack</em> of apparition. Moments later, Hermione returned to the tent. She was soaked head to to toe and it was only then, seeing her with her hair soaked and clinging to her neck, that Harry realized it was storming outside.</p><p>"He left!" Hermione cried, falling to her knees with her face in her hands.</p><p>"Yeah? Well good. I don't-</p><p>"He's right, you know!" Hermione cried, looking up at him from the ground. "Not about this being your fault, or losing Ellie being your fault… But your temper has been unbearable for months. Ellie was the only one who could toe around you and ever since we lost her, you do nothing but snap at us and slam things around in frustration. I get that you're mad Harry, I do. I really understand that you're upset. But you aren't the only person who has lost someone! You aren't the only person with people to worry about! The world doesn't stop revolving simply because you lost Ellie!"</p><p>"I don't… I never said that!" Harry said.</p><p>"You may not have said it, but you act like it! Do you think I haven't noticed you staring at the same page in a book for hours while you eat yourself alive? You think I didn't hear the arguments you had with Ellie back at Grimmauld? When she would ask you to take a break and you would snap at her? Do you think Ron hasn't noticed that you stare at him with anger in your eyes every time he wishes she were here so that we could have a night of peace? You aren't the only one who has people that you love on the other side! Ron is <em>worried</em>. His entire family is in the Order! They're all targets! And instead of being understanding about that fact, you chase him away because he said something upsetting to you?"</p><p>"No,Hermione I… I didn't mean to chase him away! I-I just-</p><p>"You told him to leave! And that's the problem, Harry! You don't <em>think</em> before you speak! You just react out of anger and deal with the consequences later! How long until we can't deal with the consequences? How long until that fire burns us all? Until you slip up and say something you can't take back?"</p><p>"<em>You take that fire and you burn the entire city to ground until we take the Dark Lord down too, okay?" </em>Elara's words rang in his ears again. The only one who wasn't afraid of his "fire" as they loved to call it. The <em>one</em> person who encouraged him to use it, to fight. And she's gone.</p><p>Harry sighed, slumping his shoulders forward as he took a seat in the rickety wooden chair at the table. "I'm sorry, Hermione. You're right."</p><p>"I know I am." She said, indignantly.</p><p>"I just," He heaved a sigh, pulling off his now broken glasses and scrubbed his face with his hands. "I fucked up. And I <em>keep</em> fucking up. Ron was right. Even if we know why the sword was left to me, it doesn't help! We still don't have it. It was my fault that Ellie got separated, it was <em>my</em> hand she had hold of."</p><p>Hermione stood from her spot on the ground and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, squeezing him tightly. "It's not your fault that any of this has happened. We're in the thick of a battle from a generation before us. The only fault you have is surviving a killing curse as a baby. And I, for one, am glad you did. We'll figure it out. We <em>always</em> figure it out. Just… Just try to remember that it's not all about you, okay?"</p><p>He sighed again. He wanted to tell her that it was about him. That his parents wouldn't have been killed if it weren't for the prophecy about <em>him</em>. That Cedric would still be alive and well, that Sirius wouldn't have been at the Ministry that night. That all of the people they've lost, all of the sacrifices everyone has had to make wouldn't have needed to be made if it weren't for him. Instead, he hugged her back, pulled the locket off the table and placed the chain round his neck.</p><p>"I'll take the first watch tonight, go get some sleep," He said.</p><p>Hermione frowned, but nodded, walking back toward her cot. Harry wondered if she would leave him, too. Wondered if he was destined to die alone at the end of Voldemort's wand, or if he would live to watch all of his friends disappear around him first, unable to do anything to save them.</p><p>A thought entered his head in the form of Ellie's voice: <em>It's not your job to save everyone.</em></p><p>He chewed on the inside of his cheek, his mouth twisted to the side as he stared into the wet grounds around him. <em>If only that were true.</em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>OKay so this marks the "all caught up to what I have posted on FFN" chapter haha <br/>Everything posted after this will follow the same update schedule that I have on FFN for this story! I post updates on wednesdays and sundays! <br/>Join my FB group Mimifreed Writing for sneak peeks and chapter boards!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 22: Crumbling Walls</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <em>This is Gospel by Panic! At The Disco</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Fantasy by MS MR</em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>Draco sat on the edge of his bed, his elbows on his knees as he carded his shaking hands through his hair. It had been over a month since term started at Hogwarts and the school had been taken over by complete and utter chaos. All of his classes, if you could call them that, were banned from speaking any "blood-inclusive" topics. The Death Eaters were heavily monitoring what was being taught outside of the classes they taught themselves. Students were being tortured in way of "detention" and those who refused to administer the punishments were being <em>crucioed </em>themselves.</p>
<p>"You okay, mate?"</p>
<p>Draco looked up to see Blaise standing before him, the right side of his brow bloodied and the distinct tear in his bottom lip that said he was biting through it while being <em>crucioed </em>again. "Are any of us?" Draco replied.</p>
<p>"I guess not," Blaise said. "You have any more of that potion for the shakes?"</p>
<p>Draco shook his head, "No. They started keeping my parcels. I think they caught on to Mum sending the potions."</p>
<p>"You think we can brew it?"</p>
<p>"I know <em>I</em> can brew it. But I don't have all of the ingredients in my kit."</p>
<p>Blaise sighed, sitting next to him on the bed. Draco watched as Blaise's hands jerked wildly before a deep convulsion ran up his spine. "Bad luck."</p>
<p>"Yeah," Draco snorted. "Luck."</p>
<p>Silence fell over them as they sat, staring at the floor. Soft gasps and the occasional grunt escaping them as phantom pains assaulted their muscles and encompassed their abilities to think properly. Draco wondered if Blaise was thinking the same thing he was. Wondered if he wanted it all to just <em>end</em> the same way he did.</p>
<p>Hell, Blaise had even less to fight for than he did and that was saying something. Death Eaters had taken his Mum just after the start of term when she refused, once again, to join them. He had no other family, no siblings. His girlfriend, Alannis, never showed up for the start of term. Not to mention his two best friends were a piss-poor excuse of a marked Death Eater who could barely function from the amount of times he'd been <em>crucioed</em>, and his sister who was on the run doing Godric knows what with Potter and the Order.</p>
<p>Draco dreamed of the end between the nightmares that were his reality. He dreamed of the day that he would finally succumb and be sucked into an inky oblivion to rest forever without the fear that tore through him at every waking moment. He dreamed of the release of death, the release from the heinous demands that plagued him. He promised Ellie he was okay, and that he would <em>be </em>okay.</p>
<p>He lied.</p>
<p>"I'm going to find Weasley and Longbottom," Blaise said, his voice a broken whisper.</p>
<p>Draco pulled himself from the depths of his quickly spiralling thoughts and stared at his friend with wide eyes, "You're going to what?"</p>
<p>"I'm going to them," He said, his voice sounding more sure than it had in weeks. "I'm going to help them with whatever it is that they're doing. I can't fucking live like this anymore."</p>
<p>"They're being tortured more than we are," Draco pointed out.</p>
<p>"I don't care. I'm going to get it anyway, may as well have a reason for it."</p>
<p>"And your reason is…?"</p>
<p>Blaise sighed and looked at Draco, his dark eyes boring into Draco's own pale silvers with an honesty he had never seen in his friend before. "Alannis was- <em>is</em> a Muggleborn. Did you know that? Because I didn't. I looked for her on the train, do you remember? Anthony Goldstein told me that her mum decided to homeschool her this year. I knew it was rubbish. Mum wanted me to stay home too, and she was tortured for it. I knew her parents wouldn't let her be homeschooled."</p>
<p>"How did you find out she was a Muggleborn?" Draco asked. "If you were told she was homeschooled…?"</p>
<p>"She told me she was a Half-Blood. I think she was afraid that I'd love her any less if she weren't. Padma Patil told me. Alannis was arrested when she got to the platform, her parents and little brother were taken away. Killed, probably. Her little brother was twelve, Draco. Twelve. Hadn't even gotten through puberty yet. My girlfriend is more than likely rotting in Azkaban because she's a Muggleborn, and she <em>lied</em> to me about it, because she was scared."</p>
<p>"Shit," Draco said, his breath caught in his throat. "Mate… I… I didn't know. I-I'm sorry."</p>
<p>"I don't want your apology. I just want you to understand that you aren't the only person suffering. Look around you. Everyone is. And I'm <em>tired</em> of ignoring it. Ellie is out there, presumably fighting to end this. Why should we sit here and wait to see what happens?"</p>
<p>"Blaise, I can't." Draco said.</p>
<p>"Can't or won't?"</p>
<p>Draco swallowed the lump in his throat and took a deep inhale through his nose. Blaise was right. He was already taking extra <em>cruciatus </em>rounds to keep the Carrow's from firing them off at first and second years who couldn't defend themselves. They talk a lot of Slytherin pride but they certainly have no issue carving scars that read "dirty blood traitor" into the hands of children who don't understand what they've done wrong.</p>
<p>"It's more complicated than that," Draco argued. "I'm fucking <em>marked</em>! I can't just ignore direct orders!"</p>
<p>"So ignore the indirect ones and come with me," Blaise said, his tone pleading. "I know you can't ignore direct orders from that snake-faced bastard, but you can still fight. Ellie is. Ellie chose. You can choose differently now too. We all can."</p>
<p>Draco stared at Blaise, chewing over his words while his heart thundered to life in his chest. The feeling of his blood rushing to his ears and his breath hitching from adrenaline was almost sickening. He hadn't felt anything like it in months. He had spent so much time focusing on Occluding to avoid feeling anything that the excitement that passed through him at the thought of fighting against the people who were literally killing him and hunting down his sister, had bursted through him with little warning.</p>
<p>"What happens if we do this and Potter fails?" Draco asked.</p>
<p>Blaise shrugged, a smirk pulling at his features and crinkling his eyes in a way Draco hadn't seen since last year. A mischievous, borderline devious look stole him, "Then we die anyway."</p>
<p>Draco stood, shoving his hands through his hair again and pacing the room a few times, trying to calm the nerves pulsating through him. "I mean, we're going to die regardless."</p>
<p>"That's the conclusion I've come to,as well," Blaise agreed.</p>
<p>"And Ellie… Ellie is out there, doing who knows what! And if she's out there risking her life, why should I just sit here and do… do <em>nothing</em>. I did nothing before, I did as I was told and didn't deviate and look where that's gotten me!"</p>
<p>"Making strong points, mate."</p>
<p>"I want to die, Blaise. I genuinely <em>dream</em> of what it would be like. So, if I die from this…"</p>
<p>"Dream come true?" Blaise suggested, amused humor to his tone.</p>
<p>"Fucking prick," Draco said, a smirk resting on his lips. The motion felt almost foreign to him now.</p>
<p>"Aha!" Blaise said, jumping to his feet and reaching his hand out for a hearty, slapping shake to Draco's. "There he is! That fucking Malfoy smirk! I knew it was still in there somewhere you bloody prat! You're in?"</p>
<p>"Fuck," Draco said, laughing lightly. "Fuck it. Yeah. I'm in. We'll go to Longbottom and Weaslette tomorrow."</p>
<p>Blaise yanked on Draco's arm and wrapped him in a tight hug. Draco was stiff at first, having never actually embraced his friend like this before. But he quickly loosened and returned it and Blaise kissed the side of his head.</p>
<p>"I love you, brother. Let's make Ellie proud and save my girl, yeah?"</p>
<p>For the first time in months, since arriving at Malfoy Manor for the start of summer holiday. Draco felt <em>real</em> hope ripple through him. He had felt it in fleeting flutters from the message passed along from his father after he saw Ellie at the wedding, and again when he had the chance to hug his sister and pass along information that could help. Information that could get him killed if anyone found out.</p>
<p>Somewhere deep in his chest the shriveled, cold heart that was there began beating again and he wanted to shout from the top of mountains. He would make her proud. He would fight alongside her because he knew, if it came down to it, he would never turn his wand to her again.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Ginny Weasley stared at Draco so intently, it made Draco's skin crawl. Her blue eyes were fierce, her face bruised and her jaw set tight. She had listened to everything Blaise said without interrupting, but stared at Draco the entire time Blaise spoke. He felt as if the girl was scrutinizing his every move, as if waiting to see if he would jump up and attack her.</p>
<p>"So, let me get this straight," She said, finally pulling her eyes from Draco's face and flicking them between the pair of Slytherins. "You want me to believe that you two have… what? Defected? That you aren't really a part of the torturing going on and you aren't revelling in the fact that your lot has the school under command?"</p>
<p>"Our lot?" Draco asked, the first words he'd spoken since this little meeting with Ginny began.</p>
<p>She snorted, the sound full of incredulous disgust. "Yes. <em>Your </em>lot. The Death Eaters. Don't think I don't know you're both marked."</p>
<p>"I'm not marked!" Blaise said, offence obvious in his voice, he jerked his sleeves up to reveal his clean, coffee colored forearms. "Have you any idea who my mum is? If I ever accepted that bloody brand it wouldn't be the fucking Carrow's I'd have to worry about. My mum would slaughter me herself."</p>
<p>"That's true," Draco agreed. "Emiliana would strip Blaise of any and all rights to the Zabini fortune if he got marked."</p>
<p>"What about you, then? I <em>know</em> Ellie was marked. I've seen it. She told us what happened, so I know you're marked too, Malfoy. Why would I help you?"</p>
<p>"Interhouse camaraderie?" Draco suggested.</p>
<p>"You're wasting my fucking time," Ginny spat. She stood up and Blaise quickly grabbed her hand, a pleading gesture for her to sit back down.</p>
<p>"Please," Blaise said. "We all know he's a prat, just… listen to us." Blaise turned and looked at Draco, eyes narrowed. "Can you not be a total dickhead for five seconds and be honest with the witch?"</p>
<p>Draco tightened his jaw but gave a sharp nod. Ginny sat back down and crossed her legs at the knees, smoothing her uniform skirt over her thighs. "Well, go on." She said.</p>
<p>Draco heaved a deep breath and dug his elbows into his knees, looking down at his trembling hands as they hung between them. "I don't want my sister to be out there fighting if I'm going to have to die anyway. I'm the reason she's in this mess. I'm the reason she got marked in the first place. I'm the reason she…" Draco felt his voice hitch and he cleared his throat, swallowing back the lump that had constricted his airways. "She's the only person who ever believed I could be something more than what I was told I <em>had </em>to be. Do you understand that? I have been told for years that I would be only what the Dark Lord needed me to be. This isn't something that happened overnight, Weasley. I have spent years being groomed to be branded."</p>
<p>"That doesn't exactly help your case, Malfoy." She said.</p>
<p>"I know," He sighed. "Just… I have had every decision made for me since I was a child. I have been told exactly what I would be doing with my life. Before he even came back, I wasn't given a choice. I'm the Malfoy heir. I was to take on the family business, marry some pureblood bint that would make my bloodline proud and produce another heir…"</p>
<p>"Get to the point, I haven't got all day."</p>
<p>Draco set his jaw again, looking up from his hands and narrowing his eyes at her. "Ellie is the only good thing in my life. She is the <em>only</em> fucking person who had ever believed I could be more than a fucking Malfoy Heir. She was the only person who ever tried to help me get away from it. To help me out, and I fucking let her down the first time. I won't let her down again. If you don't let us help your little club with Longbottom, fine. But I…" He closed his eyes and his resolve crumbled as he finished his sentence. "I'm not a Death Eater. I don't <em>want</em> to be a Death Eater."</p>
<p>"What is it you want, then?" She asked, leaning forward in the chair, her face still hard but her eyes softened as she searched his face for an answer. "Why are you coming to me?"</p>
<p>"I want…" His face twitched as he sniffed, trying to get the tears that were stinging his eyes under control. "I want Ellie to survive, even if I don't. She's always been too good for me, for all of us, really. I just want to do something that she would be proud of me for doing. For once, in my miserable fucking life, I want to make that girl proud before I die."</p>
<p>"You really love her, don't you?" She asked, her voice softer than it had been before.</p>
<p>Draco nodded, "You've got plenty of siblings, Weasley. I assume you must be close with at least one of them. Tell me, what would you do? If you were on the other side of where they stood, after they <em>begged you</em> to not cross that line… What would you do to show them you were sorry for not listening?"</p>
<p>She leaned back in her chair, mulling over the question as she looked at off at some distant point above his head. She slowly brought her attention back to them and a small smirk tugged her lips apart. "Whatever it takes," She said.</p>
<p>Draco nodded. "Whatever it takes," He agreed.</p>
<p>A thick silence fell over the small group as Ginny seemed to contemplate her options and form a decision. He couldn't deny that while her brother was insufferable and mostly dim, she seemed to be extremely intelligent and introspective. She was known for having a temper, much like the majority of the Weasley clan, but her anger never seemed misdirected or without cause. Draco could respect that.</p>
<p>"All right," She said, standing to her feet and outstretching a hand to Blaise. "You've got yourself a deal. I'll need a few days to talk it over with Neville and the rest of the group. Adjust the wards we have set on our meeting space and all of that… Expect to hear from me soon."</p>
<p>With that, she turned on her heel and exited the dusty old classroom they had hidden in to have this little meeting. Draco stared at the door after it slammed shut, wondering what exactly he had just signed himself up for. He meant what he said. He wanted to make Elara proud, he wanted to be the man she thought he was capable of being. But he had never been that open with anyone before. The Weasley girl just sort of… drew it out of him.</p>
<p>"That was intense," Blaise said, blowing out a slow breath as he scrubbed his face with his hands. "I wonder what it means now? What will they have us do?"</p>
<p>"Can't be anything worse than what we've been made to do before," Draco mumbled.</p>
<p>"Mate, I… I need to ask you something. And I need you to be honest with me, here. I will never tell anyone the answer, if you want me to swear on my magic, I will. But I need the truth."</p>
<p>Draco looked away from the door and arched an eyebrow at Blaise. His emotions had been through the ringer today, they both had. He assumed Blaise would be questioning some things, having never really seen him that emotional before. He wasn't sure he wanted to answer his questions, but he'd let him ask them. "Okay…"</p>
<p>"Have you… Have you killed someone? Since taking the mark, have you-</p>
<p>"What?!" Draco's breath caught in his chest and he felt sick. "Why would you…?"</p>
<p>"I just… I know that sometimes getting the mark can require an <em>initiation</em> of sorts. I-I know you've used the <em>cruciatus</em> on people. I just… I need to know."</p>
<p>"Blaise, I have not and will never avada someone," Draco said.</p>
<p>"There are other ways to kill people," Blaise whispered, his face full of shame of the question he was asking.</p>
<p>Draco sighed, sitting back down on a rickety old chair and ran his hands through his hair. Is this what his life has come to? Begging Weasleys for salvation and trying to convince his best mate since they were in <em>nappies</em> that he wasn't a killer? He felt his chest clench, his stomach turning over on itself.</p>
<p>"I have not killed anyone, no. Not by any means. I have watched more people than I care to admit die by the hands of my aunt or <em>him</em> in my house. But I never killed anyone." He answered, his voice quiet, a jerking muscle in his back caused him to pull forward a bit, grimacing in pain.</p>
<p>"They really fucked you up, didn't they? Over the summer?" Blaise asked.</p>
<p>"It turns out that when the Dark Lord doesn't get what he wants, he becomes rather <em>violent</em>. Who knew, right?" Draco bit out a sarcastic laugh, "Bella just enjoys it."</p>
<hr/>
<p>Two days later, Draco and Blaise stood outside the entrance to the Room of Requirement. Ginny Weasley was standing with them, pacing the floor and mumbling to herself until a door appeared.</p>
<p>"Remember, you made an oath," She said, turning to look at them. "If you say anything about what happens outside of these walls to anyone, it will be <em>painful</em> for you."</p>
<p>"Loud and clear, Weasley." Blaise said.</p>
<p>"This took a lot of convincing. No one is particularly happy with me right now, but we agreed to help <em>any</em> student that asked for it. Apparently you lot count. Do not fuck this up."</p>
<p>"Understood," Draco said, biting the inside of his cheek to try and keep his tongue in check.</p>
<p>Ginny sighed and opened the heavy wooden door, walking through it first and standing to the side to usher them in. Once they entered, the door disappeared completely and they were met with a room that Draco did not recognize.</p>
<p>A large hall filled the space he once knew to be crowded with rows of dilapidated furniture and broken book cases. Instead of withered wardrobes and rusted owl cages, there were cushy armchairs and plush sofas. Hammocks were strung up throughout the room and there even seemed to be a small dueling area to practice in, where enchanted dummies fought back as you fired spells at them. There was a roaring fire against the center wall with a large empty picture frame.</p>
<p>Within seconds of passing through the doorway, silence fell over the room, and Draco wasn't sure he had ever hated the feeling of having so many eyes on him more than he did right now. There were several faces in his year that he recognized, some below him in years.</p>
<p>"What the fuck is he doing here?" Came a thick irishaccent from the broguish Seamus Finnegan.</p>
<p>"We talked about this," Ginny said. "He- they- want to help."</p>
<p>"You said a couple more Slytherins, you didn't say it was bloody <em>Malfoy</em>!" He said.</p>
<p>"A couple… more..?" Draco whispered, his brows pulling together as he looked at Blaise. Blaise shrugged.</p>
<p>"I knew it!" A voice he'd recognize anywhere nearly shrieked and in a blur of black hair and a smack to the chest, he was winded by a crushing hug. "I knew it was you two!"</p>
<p>Blaise laughed loudly as Pansy practically sobbed into Draco's chest. Draco laughed lightly, not realizing how much he'd missed her until now. "Panse, you're crushing me."</p>
<p>"Good," She said. She pulled away from him and swiftly began punching him in the chest-<em>hard</em>. "You absolute arsehole! How could you?! How could you take that stupid mark?" Each word was punctuated with another blow to his torso.</p>
<p>"Argh! Pansy! Stop! I'm- ow- I'm sorry! Augh!" Draco finally grabbed her wrists and held her firm at arm's length. "I'm sorry, okay?"</p>
<p>"This has been a lovely reunion, and I'm really glad to see the snakes back together again. But why are you here, Malfoy?" From the group, walked a much taller, much broader Neville Longbottom. "I trust Ginny, so I told her I'd give you a chance, why are you here?"</p>
<p>He swallowed and looked to Blaise, who raised his hands in surrender and sank back against the wall. Draco clenched his jaw and glared at him, "Wanker," He spat.</p>
<p>"Zabini's family is neutral," Longbottom said. "Yours isn't. We questioned Pansy and Theo just the same."</p>
<p>"Theo?" Draco asked.</p>
<p>"Hey, mate!" Theo called.</p>
<p>Draco looked up and saw Theo swinging above him in one of the hammocks hanging from the rafters. His left eye was bruised and his lip swollen, but he had a smile on his face.</p>
<p>"H-hey, Theo."</p>
<p>"Finally decide to quit being a <em>total </em>tosser then?" He asked, his voice light with amusement.</p>
<p>"Can see you're still talking out of your arse," Draco replied.</p>
<p>"Maybe," Theo agreed. "But I'm not the one on trial. So, why'd you come here? What's got you slumming it with the D.A.?"</p>
<p>"The D.A.?" Draco asked.</p>
<p>"Dumbledore's Army," Longbottom said. "Harry put this club together back in fifth year when Umbridge was failing to teach us proper defense. While <em>you </em>were trying to get brownie points with your little inquisitorial squad, we were learning how to use advanced hexes and charms."</p>
<p>Draco swallowed. He could feel the hatred pouring off the people in this room. Even Pansy was angry with him! He didn't need to have Ellie's abilities to know that every person in this room had no reason to trust him, that he had wronged everyone in here at some point. Theo, Pansy, and Blaise included.</p>
<p>"I'll ask you again, Malfoy, why are you here?" Longbottom said, his jaw pulled tight and his face fierce.</p>
<p>"I…" Draco trailed off, his chest tightening as he tried to think of where to begin.</p>
<p><em>I wish every day that I was dead so I wouldn't have to live up to the reputation that's been forced on me? </em>No, that seemed far too personal.</p>
<p><em>I took the mark because I was forced to and I was just doing the best I could to stay alive and try to protect my family?</em> No. While that was true, it seemed too honest somehow.</p>
<p>He wasn't sure how to express what he had told Ginny in the old classroom the other day. It was harder to be open and honest when there were so many eyes on him. With so many people waiting for him to say something that they could use against him to kick him out. When every one of these people would watch him burn, gladly, because he <em>deserved</em> it.</p>
<p>"Well, it's obvious. Isn't it, Neville?" A quiet, sing-song voice came from the back corner of the room, near a set of bookshelves. Slowly the small crowd that had gathered parted and a barefoot Luna Lovegood stood in front of Draco.</p>
<p>"Obvious?" Draco asked, staring at the small witch in front of him.</p>
<p>"Oh yes, I think so." She said, a soft smile on her face, "You want to help your sister. Elara has helped all of us at some point, even if she didn't realize it. Same as Harry. You want to feel closer to her by doing what she would do if she were here. It makes perfect sense, really."</p>
<p>Draco opened his mouth to counter her, and closed it. He stared at her, his brows pulled together and the constant tremble in his hands making his fingers jerk rapidly at his sides. She wasn't wrong. He wanted to make Ellie proud, he wanted to- <em>for once</em>- do the right thing. And he knew that the right thing to Ellie, would be to help her friends get out of this safely.</p>
<p>He quickly schooled his expression, reeling in the shock that pulled his features and tried to steady his hands. "That… That's actually pretty spot on," He admitted.</p>
<p>Luna hummed and tilted her head to the side, staring up at him curiously. "I've seen the Daily Prophet listed your sister as wanted. I do hope she isn't found."</p>
<p>"Me too," He whispered.</p>
<p>"You're really here for Ellie?" Longbottom asked, his angry voice calming a bit.</p>
<p>Draco slowly dragged his gaze from Luna and met Longbottom's eyes. Taking a deep breath, he spoke honestly, "I'm here for myself too. I'm going to die by the end of this, I've made my peace with that. But I won't die fighting against her. I'll die fighting for her, <em>with</em> her. But I won't go battling against her."</p>
<p>Longbottom seemed to contemplate his words a moment before nodding his head and holding his hand out. Draco looked at it for a moment before grasping it, returning the firm shake.</p>
<p>"Welcome to the D.A. Malfoy."</p>
<p>.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading!! Please come join me at my facebook group Mimifreed Writing!<br/>Also, please leave a review! I really appreciate them! <br/>xo<br/>Mimi</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 23: Faded</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Saturated by Five Mile Town</em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>Elara stumbled as her feet hit the ground of the field just east of the town of Ottery St. Catchpole. She lost her foot, her head still spinning from the sensation of portkey travel and landed on her knees. She hadn't eaten anything but a few wild mushrooms and some berries in days and she was certain that if she had, it would have come up. She took a few slow, deep breaths and pulled herself to her feet, situating her sling back in the crook of her neck and wincing at the pain it caused her shoulder.</p>
<p>Her arm still wasn't healed. She had tried to do healing spells on it, which helped, but the gashes that had been left for a few days before she sewed it back together, were still raw and throbbing. Her arm felt hot most of the time, and she was certain the infection was going to become severe if she didn't get it properly cleaned out and healed.</p>
<p>She was weak. The effort she expended to change the portkey and use it for travel had drained her and she needed to rest. She needed food and sleep and she knew she wouldn't make it over the hill to the Burrow before she got it. She tried to cast a disillusionment charm over herself, and failed miserably. Instead, she settled on transfiguring her hair a different color and hoped that would be enough to not draw any attention to herself as she made her way through the muggle village.</p>
<p>On unsteady feet, she moved as quickly as she could. She finally reached the main village about a half hour later and felt her stomach clench and growl at the smell of warm bread coming from the back of the bakery. She snuck to the back and stared at the building, trying to figure out a way to get some food without paying for it and without stealing it. Although, if she had to steal it, she would.</p>
<p>As if to answer a silent plea for help, the back door opened and a small, old man tossed a bag in the rubbish bin. Elara grimaced at the thought, but then quickly schooled her features and changed her attitude. She would be of no help to anyone if she starved to death before she could get to the Burrow. The trip would be a waste, all the effort she put into making the portkey a total waste of time. She pulled open the bag and nearly cried when she saw three small loaves of bread on top. She swiftly dropped all three loaves into her knapsack and scurried off, trying to find a small alley or abandoned business to hide in.</p>
<p>A few hours later, Elara sat on the hilltop just past where the wards would be for the Burrow. She could tell they had been broken, she couldn't feel the buzz of magic that usually surrounded the property. She munched on bread, nearly finishing an entire loaf, and drank water from the jar she had been using that had held her almonds.</p>
<p>Just as she looked down to brush the crumbs from her jumper and to pull a blanket from her knapsack, she heard two distinct pops of apparition. She froze for a moment, before quickly crawling behind a boulder and peeking over the top of it. As her vision focused, the clearest it had been in days now that she had eaten something, it was her emotions that surged.</p>
<p>
  <em>Amusement. Curiosity. Chicanery. Delight.</em>
</p>
<p>Her heart nearly stopped in her chest as she gasped, narrowing her eyes at the gates just past the apparition point to the Burrow. There, walking in quick, bouncing, unified steps were two tall, lanky, identical red heads. She watched as they walked through the gates and into the house.</p>
<p>She scrambled to her feet and sprinted down the hill, trying to be sure to keep her footing so she didn't tumble. She knew her arm couldn't possibly take any more damage without it becoming permanent and she also knew it would not look good for her to break an ankle, having no real way to mend it.</p>
<p>She slowed her pace and dropped back to all fours, crawling under the fence surrounding the property and scurrying to crouch beside the shed by the small pond. She stared at the house, willing them to come out so she could get a look at them. Were they living here? Were the Weasley's all still here? If they were, why weren't the wards up? Had she just been too weak to feel them? Why hadn't-</p>
<p>"You think mum will care that we're coming back to take supplies?" George's voice came from the back step, just outside the door, effectively cutting off her thoughts.</p>
<p>Fred appeared at the door, clapping his twin on the back. "They won't miss it! Not like anyone's been here in months. Besides, we have a business to run!"</p>
<p>"Shop hasn't been open, Freddie."</p>
<p>"No, it hasn't! But that doesn't mean it won't be! Besides, how are we supposed to go into hiding at great Auntie Muriel's when half the family is there? There's no room!"</p>
<p>"I think that Ghoul in Ron's room must have ran off anyone who wanted to turn the place over." George laughed, "How stupid do you have to be to think a Ghoul is a wizard with Spattergroit?!"</p>
<p>"How stupid do you have to be to follow that maniac in the first place?" Fred answered.</p>
<p>They walked quickly back to the apparition point just beyond the gates and just as quickly as they had come, they were gone and Elara was staring at the empty spot in disbelief.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Supplies.</p>
<p>Fred and George were coming in and out of the Burrow every evening the last three nights for supplies. They carried a large bag with them, so she wasn't sure exactly <em>what</em> the supplies were, but knowing they were used to three meals a day and plenty of sweets in between those… She was able to guess that it probably meant food.</p>
<p>Last night, she had come close to revealing herself and begging for help. She didn't know what to say or do, but she was so happy to see them, she didn't know if she really cared how it would look. Before she could make up her mind, they had disappeared again. Over the last three days, she watched the Burrow from the shed. She was able to get into it easily, and there was a small window in the front of it. A simple notice-me-not made sure they wouldn't see her staring through the window every time they came.</p>
<p>She wondered why they didn't just apparate into the house, but guessed it must just be habit. From snippets of conversation, she'd been able to deduce that they were still in their flat in Diagon Alley. From what she could tell, they only left to gather more provisions and they were in and out in fifteen minutes flat each time.</p>
<p>Elara decided to talk to them tonight. She needed help finding Harry, Ron, and Hermione and her arm was still badly injured. She would need to be healed and she craved a place to stay and someone to talk to. She had become used to being alone, but that was in the comfort of a Manor with a full belly and a comfortable bed and plenty of things to do. Now? She was struggling to stay above water and every night that she went to sleep, she prayed she would wake up the next day. Elara <em>needed</em> to talk to Fred and George, needed to know if everyone was safe.</p>
<p>Tonight, instead of waiting in the shed, Elara ventured out and stepped through the back door of the Burrow. She was shocked by how it looked. The tables and chairs were broken and turned over, the furniture in the cramped sitting room had been shredded and every picture that had been on the mantle was shattered. She was afraid to go up the stairs and look in the rest of the house, so she stayed on the main floor.</p>
<p>She hoisted herself onto the countertop in the kitchen and pulled her wand from her sling. She heard the two pops, signalling the apparition of the twins, and her heart began to thunder in her chest. She held her wand tight, knowing that there was a good chance they would draw theirs on her.</p>
<p>She smiled at the sound of Fred's laugh as he pushed the door open.</p>
<p>"I haven't heard laughter in months, I didn't realize how much I've missed it," She said.</p>
<p>Just as she suspected, she was met with the business end of two wands. Elara couldn't help but smile at the men standing before her, wands brandished, confused expressions on their faces. She slowly set her wand down on the counter next to her, and raised her one hand up in surrender.</p>
<p>"El-Ellie?" Fred whispered, a look of shock taking over his face.</p>
<p>"Hi. Sorry to just pop in on you, but you <em>did</em> say if I ever needed a place…" Elara trailed off and before she could finish the thought, Fred pulled her from the counter and wrapped her in a hug, George crushing her into Fred from behind.</p>
<p>"We've been so worried about you! Is Harry, Ron and Hermione with you? Are they okay?" Fred asked.</p>
<p>"No, I'm alone. I don't… I think they're okay. But I don't know."</p>
<p>"How did you find us?" George asked. "When did you get here?"</p>
<p>"I've been watching you for a few days now. I made a portkey." She explained. "I am really happy to see the both of you, but you're crushing me."</p>
<p>They both laughed and let her go. Finally, Fred stared at her, looking her over. "We can skip the supplies today. Let's go back to the flat."</p>
<p>"I don't know if I can apparate," Elara said, looking down at her shoulder.</p>
<p>It was then that Fred noticed the sling and his eyes clouded with confusion. "What happened?"</p>
<p>"I splinched myself," She said. "It's not healed, and I think it's infected. I haven't apparated anywhere since it happened, so I don't know if it will split back open or not."</p>
<p>"That's why you made a portkey?" George asked.</p>
<p>She nodded, "Yeah. I had one that Emiliana Zabini gave to me last Christmas. It was unregistered and set to her Tuscany property. I changed it to bring me here."</p>
<p>"Well, let's see it then," Fred said, motioning to her arm.</p>
<p>"I.. I can't just lift my sleeve and show you," Elara explained. "It's rather… well.. I have to take my jumper off and-</p>
<p>"We aren't interested in looking at your… Bits and berries." Fred said.</p>
<p>"Bits and berries?" Elara laughed, "What?"</p>
<p>"Well, you're basically our sister, aren't you? Saying breasts sounds wrong!" George said, "Besides, we can just cut the sleeve off, can't we?"</p>
<p>"I suppose that would be easier, yes." She chuckled. "Do you mind? I'm not confident I won't hurt myself further…"</p>
<p>Fred stepped forward and gripped her waist, hoisting her up to the countertop again, making her eye level with him. Using his wand, he carefully cut through the fabric of the sling. George held her elbow as the fabric released, to offer her shoulder support. Once the sling was out of the way, Fred slowly cut through her jumper, from the collar to the wrist of her left arm and pulled the material from it.</p>
<p>"Oh my…" Fred whispered, his face frantic as he stared at her arm. A pulse of fear shot through him and she felt the same from George. "Ellie, what in the <em>hell</em> happened?"</p>
<p>"I told you, I splinched myself."</p>
<p>"Right, love, we've seen a spinching before. This is… This is <em>bad</em>, Ellie. What is this thread? Why is there thread in your arm?" George said, sounding horrified.</p>
<p>"I got separated from them," Elara whispered, trying to keep her emotions under control. She hadn't talked to anyone for over a month. She hadn't said out loud what happened. "I realized I was splinched, but I didn't… Hermione had most of the medical supplies in her bag. Our healing potions and dittany… She had most of it. I had a few pain potions and two blood replenishers. I took them, but I was still losing a lot of blood. I couldn't stay awake more than a few minutes at a time the first few days…"</p>
<p>She swallowed the lump in her throat and took a slow, shaking breath. She could feel the tears gathering behind her lashes as she tried to fight through the fear of what happened. The realization that she had been separated was tumbling over her like an avalanche and she could feel it starting to crush her again. She didn't have the time to process it while she was alone. She was trying to <em>survive</em>. But now, saying it aloud to Fred and George, the looks of concern and fear on their faces… The usual feelings of mirth and joy replaced with consternation and alarm… It was too much.</p>
<p>"It's okay," Fred whispered, pressing his lips to her forehead. "We can talk about it later. Let's try and get this healed up, yeah?"</p>
<p>She nodded, feeling George place a kiss to her cheek. "I think I still may have some dittany in my room from when my ear got blown off. I'll go check." He said.</p>
<p>"Be quick, Georgie." Fred said, a seriousness in his voice Elara hadn't heard before.</p>
<p>George nodded and sprinted into the sitting room, she could hear him climbing the stairs.</p>
<p>"So the thread?" Fred asked, his fingers ghosting over the poorly stitched wound. "You tried to sew it back together? Like muggles do?"</p>
<p>"I had a muggle book about dentistry in my bag. They have healers just for your teeth, it's what Hermione's parents do. It's actually fascinating, they have these little tools that are made to drill holes into your teeth and they fill them with silver to-</p>
<p>"Ellie, as interesting as muggle teeth healers sound, I need to know what you did to your arm." He interrupted. "You can tell me all about debiss tree later."</p>
<p>"Dentistry," She corrected, a sheepish smile on her face. "Right. Yeah. Well, in the book there's a section about stitching the wounds closed. I read over it and used a clasp off my bag for the needle and thread from a set of robes I had on. I did what I could to sterilize and keep it clean but I haven't been able to take a proper shower in over a month. I've been sleeping on the ground and I haven't eaten much…"</p>
<p>"So your magic is weakened," Fred said, understanding. "That's why these healing spells you attempted look so botched."</p>
<p>She nodded, biting into her bottom lip to hold back the tears again. George bounded back into the room, several small bottles in his hands. He lined them all on the counter and handed a phial to Ellie.</p>
<p>"Pain relief," George said. "I assume you could use it."</p>
<p>Elara smiled gratefully, and pulled the stopper from the phial. She emptied it into her mouth and within moments, the dull throbbing in her arm had subsided. She sighed audibly in relief and nodded to them. "Thank you," She said.</p>
<p>"This is probably going to hurt quite a lot," George said. "I apologize in advance."</p>
<p>Elara shifted on the counter and gave a nervous look to Fred. He attempted a smile that looked more like a grimace and he grabbed her hand. Together, Fred and George began to work on her arm, using their wands to remove the thread that was half healed into her flesh. She gasped, biting into her lip as she tried to stifle the sob that was working its way through her chest. They tugged and sliced at her arm, with every second passing, she could feel the sliding of the thread in her skin.</p>
<p>Her stomach rolled in on itself and she felt the bile rising up her throat, burning her mouth as she shook with sobs, her face buried into Fred's shoulder. His shirt muffled her screams as both Fred and George apologized and cooed at her relentlessly. Her chest heaving in deep breaths as she tried to steady the swimming of her head. She vaguely wondered how terrible this would have been had she not taken the pain relief potion beforehand.</p>
<p>After what felt like an eternity, Fred began soothing small circles into her back. "Georgie's healing you now with a spell, okay? Almost there, love."</p>
<p>She nodded against his chest, wetting the fabric of his shirt with her tears. "I-I-I think I c-can f-feel it getting… <em>unnghhh</em>… b-better," She sobbed.</p>
<p>"You're doing so good, darling. I'm almost done, yeah? Lucky my ear got blown off! I learned all kinds of new healing spells after that, just in case. Okay, steady breaths, love. I'm gonna drop some dittany on it now. It's going to burn, but you know that already, don't you?"</p>
<p>She nodded, "Y-yes."</p>
<p>"Tell me about your muggle teeth healing book," Fred said. "Tell me why they need teeth healers!"</p>
<p>"We use m-magic to deep clean our t-teeth. We brush, like muggles do, but the t-toothpaste we… <em>unnnghh th-that burns!</em>"</p>
<p>"What about their toothpaste?"</p>
<p>"Our toothpaste is m-magically made, so the pro-properties are d-different. Muggles use a combination of...<em>oww</em>… Chemical com-compounds. Our teeth are stronger...<em>ahhh… Shit..</em>"</p>
<p>Fred and George both laughed, "It must hurt if it's got you swearing!" Fred said.</p>
<p>"Shut up!" She said, petulantly.</p>
<p>"All done!" George said.</p>
<p>She cried out loudly, relief washing over her at the absence of burning in her arm. She took a few deep breaths, trying to steady herself before speaking again. "Thank you," She whispered. "It feels a lot better now."</p>
<p>"It was pretty nasty, El. Infected and the thread was embedded in your arm. It's going to leave a very nasty scar," George said, his tone apologetic.</p>
<p>"I don't care," She said. "As long as it's healed and I can use my arm again, I don't much care what it looks like."</p>
<p>Fred smiled, helping her off the counter and tucking her hand into the crook of his elbow. "While we're at it, let's change your hair back, yeah? This mousy brown is okay, but it's not quite the same, is it?" He joked, tapping his wand to her head and muttering <em>finite</em> to turn her hair back to the platinum white blonde.</p>
<p>"I forgot I even transfigured it," She admitted. "It's been a long few weeks."</p>
<p>"Let's get back to the flat, you can get some food-</p>
<p>"And a shower!"</p>
<p>"And tell us about what happened," They said in unison.</p>
<hr/>
<p>It took some serious thought for Elara to figure out what she wanted to do first. Shower or Eat? Finally, she decided a shower while George warmed up their dinner would be best. The moment the hot water hit her back she nearly moaned from the feel of it, her entire body shivering under the loss of tension in her muscles.</p>
<p>She scrubbed her skin until it was nearly red and washed her hair three times in a row. She hadn't even realized how filthy she felt until the second wash, when she discovered she still had dirt built up on her scalp. Afterall, constant <em>scourgifies</em> can only go so far. Sure, the cleaning spell was enough to keep her from <em>smelling</em> like she hadn't showered in over a month, but it didn't help her from feeling like it.</p>
<p>With her hair still damp and hanging down her back, she slipped on the clean pyjama bottoms and tee shirt Fred left for her. She frowned in the mirror, poking at her ribs that were jutting out from her frame. Her hip bones stuck out at sharp angles and her face was sunken in. Her lips were chapped and her skin dry from lack of nutrition and dehydration. Not that she had much weight to lose to begin with, but now she looked <em>sickly</em>.</p>
<p>She chuckled as she transfigured the bottoms to fit her a little better. The twins were at <em>least</em> a foot taller than she was, and the red bottoms that were adorned with little snitches that zoomed around the fabric were enormous on her. She hoped they wouldn't mind that she altered the clothes.</p>
<p>She exited the bathroom and immediately felt her mouth water at the smell of hot food. She followed the scent to the small table in the kitchen and nearly shouted with joy when she saw a platter of roast chicken with potatoes, carrots, and onions. There was gravy and warm bread and even a salad filled with vegetables.</p>
<p>"Mum sent us with leftovers last night," Fred explained. "We met her at the safehouse to have dinner. We only do it about once a month now, so she always sends us back with loads of extras."</p>
<p>"Oh I miss her cooking!" Elara sighed, taking a seat at the table. "This looks amazing."</p>
<p>"Well tuck in!" George said.</p>
<p>She loaded up her plate and audibly moaned when she took her first bite. Within minutes she cleared her first plate and started on a second, working much slower to not make herself completely sick from eating.</p>
<p>Once they had gotten their fills, and the dishes had been cleared and put away, Elara began to explain what happened at the Ministry, leaving out the locket being the main reason they went. She explained there was an item they needed to get that was being held there, and did not divulge more. Thankfully, Fred and George didn't pry. She told them about what happened once she woke up from being splinched, gave them more details about where she landed and what she did over the last month.</p>
<p>In return, they explained to her everything that has happened since she, Ron, Harry, and Hermione left the Burrow on the first of August. She learned that all of the Order was set up in safe houses throughout England and Scotland. That both Bill and Mr. Weasley were no longer working, but staying in hiding and trying to help the Order where they could. The twins were helping Kingsley and Remus pass information to Lee Jordan who was running a program called Potterwatch.</p>
<p>"Wait… Could you… Could you pass a message along for me?" Elara asked, "On Potterwatch? Could you put it out there that I'm alive?"</p>
<p>Fred frowned, his brows knit together in thought. "I don't think it would be safe to just say 'Oi, Ellie Malfoy is still alive!' But, if you… You could come on the broadcast. Say a few words under a code name, if they're listening, they'll know your voice."</p>
<p>"You'd let me come along?" She asked.</p>
<p>"Yeah, of course," He said. "We broadcast from Andromeda's. She'd love to have you there, I'm sure. It's probably a lot safer for you there, anyway. I'll come up with a nickname for you, we'll head over tomorrow! It's been awhile since we've sent a new broadcast out."</p>
<p>The rest of the evening was spent with Fred and George sharing a few new product ideas with Elara and showing her how to brew a decent pain relief potion and the dampening potions. She was thankful to have the dampening potion again. Being isolated for over a month had made the pick up of emotions around her extremely sensitive and by the time she settled onto the bed they transfigured from the sofa, her head was pounding.</p>
<hr/>
<p>After a spot of breakfast and loading her up on potions to keep in her bag, Fred and George took Elara sidealong to Andromeda's home. It was a small cottage that sat nestled in a thicket of trees and shrubs, well off the beaten path where anyone would find it. The wards held strong, extended out at least fifty meters from the edge of the property and only when they slinked through the magic surrounding the gates did a shocked Remus Lupin meet them at the end of the path leading to the cottage.</p>
<p>"Elara?" He asked, the confusion and uncertainty he was feeling evident on his face. "How… You shouldn't have been able to get through the wards."</p>
<p>"I sent a patronus to Andy last night and told her we'd be bringing her!" Fred said.</p>
<p>"No," Remus said, putting both palms up in defense. "No, it's not that.. She's marked. That's why I was coming out to meet you, she shouldn't have been able to get through the wards with the dark mark."</p>
<p>"Better adjust your wards, mate." George said, "You know she's not going to hurt anyone, but if someone else-</p>
<p>"Wait!" Elara said, a surge of something hopefully tearing through her chest. "You know… I haven't felt the Mark since I was splinched."</p>
<p>"You were splinched?" Remus asked.</p>
<p>"A right awful splinching, at that," Fred said. "Sewed her arm back on the muggle way."</p>
<p>"You <em>what</em>?!" Remus nearly shouted.</p>
<p>"It doesn't matter!" Elara said, smiling as she looked down at her arm. "I… I have a theory… Fred, do you remember what I told you about blood-letting?"</p>
<p>"Blood-letting?" Remus asked, his eyebrows pulling together as concern trickled into his voice. "The muggle concept? Bleeding out infection?"</p>
<p>"Yeah," She said. "I found an old text that showed that blood-letting could hypothetically remove <em>dark</em> magic as well. In theory, dark magic that is unwillingly accepted is nothing more than an infection of the magical core. So, by seeping out the magic…"</p>
<p>"That day I saw you at Grimmauld Place, your arm was bleeding. Is that what you were doing?"</p>
<p>She nodded, "Yes. Yes, it was."</p>
<p>"That's dangerous, Elara. You could cut too deep, you could bleed out."</p>
<p>"I didn't. But when I splinched myself, I <em>almost</em> did. I only had two blood replishers. I bled a lot, but up until that point, I've felt the Mark burning in my skin every day. I thought… I thought maybe I couldn't feel it because my arm was so badly injured, that I was only feeling the splinch. But…" Elara trailed off, pulling up the stained sleeve of her jumper and unclasping the emerald bracelet that was wrapped around her wrist.</p>
<p>When she looked down at her left forearm, she gasped in shock.</p>
<p>The Mark was still <em>there</em>, but instead of a writhing, inky black twist against her skin… It faded into her arm like a scar. Charcoal grey with small gashes running through it from where she had experimented with her own ideas of bleeding it out.</p>
<p>"It worked!" She gasped, looking up between the three men. "<em>It worked</em>."</p>
<p>Remus grabbed her wrist, pulling it closer to him to get a better look. He ran a hand gently over it, feeling the bumpy scars of the <em>diffindos</em> she had cast into her own flesh. He looked at her, his mouth slightly ajar and his eyes wide. "It worked," He laughed, a loud booming laugh. "It <em>worked</em>. Elara, I have <em>never</em> seen a Death Eater that had been able to rid themselves of their mark! It would quite literally take cutting your own arm off to seep the magic out!"</p>
<p>"Well apparently splinching your arm nearly off and sewing it back together the muggle way works just as good. Although I'm not sure I'd recommend that pain to anyone," She laughed.</p>
<p>"You brilliant girl!" Remus said, pulling her into a hug. "You <em>brilliant</em> girl! Blood-letting is such an ancient ideal, for you to even try… I'd reckon doing it in controlled settings, weeping the dark magic directly from the Mark before you ever even got splinched, had a lot to do with it!"</p>
<p>"I could always see a strange… I don't know exactly. Smokiness? Glimmer? The blood was different when it wept from the Mark. The splinching must have just been enough to bleed the rest of it out in one go."</p>
<p>"I know I said it was barmy, Ellie, and I stand by that. But, I am glad it worked. It's one less control they have over you. One less tie to <em>him</em>." Fred said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and ushering her forward.</p>
<p>Entering the cottage, her shoulders felt lighter than they had in months. The fear that <em>eventually</em> she would no longer be able to resist the pull from the Mark had eaten at her while she was with Harry at Grimmauld Place. The last month, she had thought of it only fleetingly as she struggled to survive. But now, to know it was one less thing to worry about. She felt a relief that she had been longing for.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading!! Wanna connect? Add my FB group! Mimifreed Writing</p>
<p>I apologize for the delay with this chapter! My sister is enlisted in the Marines and her send off party was yesterday, so I was busy with that all day. By the time I got home I was 1. Very drunk, 2. Very emotional, and 3. Very tired. So editing and posting was just not in my ability lol But, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please review! <br/>xo</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 24: Rainbow, the Floor is Yours.</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>When the Night is Over by Lord Huron</em>
</p><hr/><p>Harry sat outside the opening of the tent, staring into the woods. He could hear the muffled music coming from the wireless inside the tent and wondered if Hermione would be willing to entertain the possibility of going to Godric's Hollow soon. A week ago, while in a nearby town, Harry had been able to swipe a copy of The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore from a bookshop near the grocer they were stealing food from, and the more he read, the more he needed to go to his parents home.</p><p>He needed to see it.</p><p>Harry had tried to figure out exactly why he felt the pull to go there, why he felt it was necessary, and he couldn't put it into words. It was just a gut feeling. Bathilda Bagshot was there, and still alive by the looks of it. She might have answers, she might know <em>something</em>. Some detail in her vast knowledge of the Dumbledore family that could point them in the right direction... <em>Just something</em>.</p><p>
  <em>I thought you knew. I thought you had answers or at least some idea of what the fuck we had to do! It's your fault! It's all your fault!</em>
</p><p>Ron's words echoed in his head louder and louder with each passing day. He was angry with Ron, of course he was! He left! But… The more Harry thought about it, the more he felt <em>crushed</em>. He had driven Ron out, he had told him to leave. He had egged Ron on, urging him to go and when he did, Harry sat and felt sorry for himself. He could barely look Hermione in the eye anymore, knowing that her quiet and reserved disposition was caused by him. She was constantly walking on eggshells around him and he <em>wanted </em>to comfort her and ask for comfort in return, but instead, all he could do was snap at her and criticize everything she said or did.</p><p><em>What is wrong with me?!</em> Harry thought, closing the book in his lap and pulling out the Marauder's Map instead. His eyes ghosted over the page, watching the small footprints walk around the castle. It was getting late, the students were probably finishing dinner in the Great Hall and heading off to their Common Rooms or maybe the LIbrary. As he watched the map, his brows furrowed, looking down at two names, walking side by side.</p><p>Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley.</p><p>Harry had seen it a few times now, more frequently in the last fortnight. He wondered why the very unlikely pair would be spending so much time together. He also noticed that Blaise Zabini spent a lot of time with Neville these days. It wasn't <em>totally</em> unheard of for Zabini to spend time with people outside of his housemates, but he never had a friendship with Neville before. Again, Harry found himself wishing for a scrap of information.</p><p>He sighed and looked back out into the woods, watching the area with tired eyes. They had been camped here four days now. Soon, they would need to move again, and he wasn't sure where they would go next. He had heard a group of snatchers the week prior talking about a forest in Wiltshire where they had found a sickle on a chain a while back. His heart had sunk into his stomach when he heard them. It had to be Ellie's, but maybe she was still there. Perhaps she had set up camp in the forest and waited, hoping they would come and find her. Hermione said she knew there was a large forest there, possibly large enough that Ellie could have moved camp a few times without leaving it. Maybe she was still there? Maybe she was okay and just waiting for them to locate her.</p><p>Or maybe she was in Wiltshire because she went back to the Manor. The thought sent a shudder through Harry, turning his stomach and making his chest feel tight. If she had returned to Malfoy Manor, he was certain she was either being used by Voldemort to manipulate and hurt other people, or she was being tortured herself for refusing. Both seemed like terrible outcomes, and Harry just couldn't believe that Ellie would go back to the Manor.</p><p>"Harry?" Hermione called, her voice sounded higher pitched than normal. "Harry! Come in here! Come in here now!"</p><p>Harry jumped to his feet, grabbing his book and map and rushed inside the opening of the tent, "What?! What is it? Are you okay?"</p><p>"Shut up!" She hissed, "Listen!"</p><p>Hermione turned the dial on the wireless and the volume increased. In the background, muffled under Lee Jordan's voice, he could hear another voice, higher pitched and almost… <em>melodic</em>.</p><p>"<em>Tonight on Pals of Potter, we have a special guest. Romulus, would you take over, mate?"</em></p><p>"<em>Of course, River. Thank you. As you all know by now, we don't make the habit of bringing any guests on the air. It's dangerous for them and for the people they know. However, this is a special occasion and I would like to introduce you to a very special Pal of Potter and of Rodent-</em></p><p>"<em>It's Rapier! Merlin, mate! How many times do I need to tell you!"</em></p><p>"<em>My apologies," </em>Harry could hear the chuckle in Remus's voice. <em>"Rapier, and of myself. Rainbow, the floor is yours."</em></p><p>"<em>Thank you, Romulus</em>." Harry's heart stuttered in his chest and he collapsed into the nearby chair as he tried to remember how to breathe. <em>"I'm not sure if he's listening, if he is, I know he knows we all believe in him. But I'd like to say something a little more personal, if that's okay?"</em></p><p>Harry could picture her, looking to Remus and Fred, eyebrows raised in question and arms folded across her chest in defiance. Daring them to tell her she couldn't say what was on her mind.</p><p>"<em>Of course, Rainbow. You can say whatever you need to."</em></p><p>"<em>Thank you. I just want to tell him that I'm okay. I'm safe. I'm protected. Harry, if you're listening I want you to pay close attention to me, love… Do you remember what I said about your fire? I think that if you're listening, you'll probably need a reminder. Do whatever it takes and don't lose focus. And for the love of Godric, listen to Hermione."</em></p><p>Harry took a breath and somewhere it registered in his mind that Hermione was chuckling softly beside him, her hand wrapped around his.</p><p>"<em>I may not be with you physically, but I'm still with you. I'm still fighting for you. And I believe, we believe, in you. I love you Harry Potter."</em></p><p>"<em>Thank you Rainbow, for that very touching message to Harry. Harry, if you're out there, we're behind you. We believe in you and…</em>"</p><p>Harry blinked slowly, ignoring the rest of the voices in the broadcast as they began to talk about the information they were getting from Hogwarts. His eyes were wet, his cheeks hot with tears. He looked at Hermione, who was sniffling and wiping her eyes on the back of her hand.</p><p>"She's okay, Harry!" Hermione said, a breath of relief rushing past her lips as a small smile pulled her features upward. "She's okay."</p><p>Harry tried to hold it in, but he couldn't help it. He gasped and doubled over, a sob pulling from his chest as his shoulders shook with relief. He had never been so relieved in his life. He had spent the last six weeks sick to his stomach, terrified for Elara. Every second of every day was consumed by what she was doing, where she could possibly be. He had gone over every location he could think of ad nauseam, trying to pinpoint anywhere she could have gone.</p><p>"She's safe," He said, his voice broken and shaky. "She's okay."</p><p>"She must have gotten to a safehouse somehow," Hermione said, wrapping her arms around his and rubbing circles between his shoulders with the flat of her palm. "I can't tell by that if she got injured at all-</p><p>"It doesn't matter," Harry said, finally looking up at Hermione and pulling her into a tight hug. "If she did, she's not now. And she's okay. Fuck, I needed to hear her voice."</p><p>"Ellie would tell you to choose better words," Hermione said, a coy smile on her face.</p><p>"Ellie also understands that <em>sometimes</em> there aren't better words."</p><hr/><p>Four weeks had passed since her arrival at Tonks Cottage and Elara had never felt more at home. The cottage was refreshing after spending so much time on her own, it was nice to have a bed to sleep in and full meals to eat. But the company was better than she ever could have anticipated.</p><p>Despite the initial tension upon her arrival to the Order at the Burrow back in July, Elara found that she got along with Remus extremely well. He was smart and funny and had a really interesting collection of books that he was more than willing to loan out and talk about at any time. Tonks, on the other hand, was feisty and quick-witted. She was constantly cracking jokes and making the atmosphere lighter, even if she was <em>hopelessly</em> clumsy. Elara was shocked to find there was a person worse on her own feet than she was!</p><p>Lee Jordan and Kingsley Shacklebolt were also in the cottage. Kingsley was in and out frequently, but he stayed most of his nights there. He was slightly intimidating and had an autocratic air about him, but he was soft spoken and kind. He spent a lot of his time in the cellar, trying to work out what muggleborns had been captured and how to get them out of Azkaban. She had spent some time talking to him about the men she encountered in Savernake Forest who found her sickle on the ground, and Kingsley had informed her they were called Snatchers. The Snatchers were hunting down muggleborns on the run and turning them into the Ministry for cash reward, a thought that made her feel sick.</p><p>Lee Jordan, she had learned, was a Gryffindor the same age as Fred and George. He spent a lot of his time with the twins at their flat, but came back to the cottage a few nights a week. He never stayed in one spot more than a couple of days, floating between a few different safehouses as he did his broadcasts for Potterwatch.</p><p>Andy and Ted, were every bit the warm-welcoming hosts. Andy spent time with Elara, regaling old stories of her mother when they were young, laughing about the things they would do together. Talking with Andy made her feel closer to her Mum, a presence she had decided to repress, instead of miss. Andy showed interest in Draco as well, asking many questions about her estranged nephew and listening patiently as Elara told her everything that had happened where Draco was concerned. She felt as if Andy truly <em>cared</em> about him, wanting to help Elara figure out a way to get him out and away from the Death Eaters.</p><p>The closest she had grown with anyone in the house though, was Ted. He was kind yet strong willed. He discussed anything Elara questioned with vigor, answering any question she had and asking them in return. He cracked silly jokes throughout the day and spent time teaching her how to cook the muggle way, as something to eat up the time in the house. He was also up late at night, when Elara would wake from a nightmare or when insomnia got the best of her and denied her sleep at all.</p><p>
  <em>Red eyes, staring into her as a sharp nailed hand gripped her jaw. A cold voice threatening her, telling her that if she didn't comply, he'd kill Harry. He'd kill Draco. He laughed and pointed his wand at Draco's throat, casting a Crucio and sending him to his knees in screams of pain. His wand raised to Harry, a jet of green light colliding against his chest…</em>
</p><p>Elara shot upright in her bed, her hair clinging to her sweat soaked neck as she looked around the room, trying to gain her bearings. She was safe. She was in a bed at Tonks Cottage. Draco was, presumably, at Hogwarts. Harry was safe with Ron and Hermione. She took a few deep breaths and when her nerves still caused her hands to tremble, she climbed out of bed.</p><p>She padded to the kitchen and gave a small smile to Ted, who was already sitting at the table, a mug of tea in his hand as he read over the Daily Prophet.</p><p>"There's enough in the pot for a few more cups," He said, motioning to the tray on the table. "I've started making extra at night with you here."</p><p>"I'm sorry," She said, sitting across from him and pouring the hot liquid into a mug of her own and adding a couple spoons of sugar.</p><p>"Don't be," Ted said, folding the paper back up and offering her a kind smile. "It's not the greatest reason that you're up, but I enjoy the company nonetheless."</p><p>Elara returned his smile and sipped at her tea. "Why are you up so late?" She asked, "Every time I wake up, you're up. Even at three in the morning."</p><p>He shrugged, sipping at his own mug. "I've never been a great sleeper," He explained. "Even worse in times of stress. I think being on the brink of a very life altering war counts as a time of stress."</p><p>"You must be going stir-crazy," Elara said. "Not leaving the house at all."</p><p>"That too," Ted agreed. "Although, it's much easier when I remember I have a grandchild on the way and a wife that I love very much."</p><p>"Are you nervous?" She asked, "Being a muggleborn?"</p><p>"The only thing that makes me nervous about my blood status is that it puts all of you in danger."</p><p>"I can understand that," She said. "I'm a wanted girl, Uncle. One Hundred Thousand Galleons on my head, even more than Harry has on his. I feel like I'm putting everyone in danger, but honestly, I'm afraid of what will happen if I'm on my own again."</p><p>"You shouldn't have to be on your own," He agreed.</p><p>A comfortable silence settled over them as they sipped at their tea and lost themselves in their thoughts. Elara felt a niggling fear radiating from him, one she hadn't felt from the normally jovial man before. She pulled her brows together, staring at the steam rising from her mug as a strange urgency rolled off him as well. She shifted her glance to see his fingers tapping nervously on the table and a thought clicked into place. She recognized this feeling of apprehension coupled with confusion and fear. She had felt it in herself, Ron, Hermione and Harry at the end of July.</p><p>"Are you…" Elara paused, trying to find the best way to word her question. "Uncle Ted, are you planning on leaving?"</p><p>Ted's finger's stopped drumming on the wood and his breath became more controlled as he spoke, not looking up at her. "What would make you say that?"</p><p>"Empath, remember?" She said. A small tight-lipped smile on her face as she took a deep breath and shifted in her seat, "I… I had these same feelings right before I went on the run with Harry. When were you planning to leave?"</p><p>"No sense in hiding it from you, is there?" He chuckled, "I was going to leave tonight. I heard you yell out as I was packing. I knew you had another nightmare, so I thought I'd make a cuppa. Have it ready for you, and then go. But I couldn't bring myself to leave just yet."</p><p>"You shouldn't have to be on your own," Elara said, parroting his earlier statement. "I'll go with you. I hadn't planned on staying here this long, anyway. I need to try and find Harry."</p><p>"You can't go back out there, Elara. Especially not with me. If they find me, they'll throw me in Azkaban or kill me. If you're with me-</p><p>"I'll be fine," She assured him. "I spent over a month on my own. And I was injured, at that. I can handle myself. I won't let you run on your own. Not when you have a family here who would sorely miss you if something happened."</p><p>"They don't know I'm going," Ted whispered, running his hand through his hair. "I think Remus may suspect something, the bright fellow he is. But I haven't told Andy or-or Dora."</p><p>"Let me come with you," Elara insisted. "Please."</p><p>Ted turned and looked at her, staring into her face for several minutes. His brown eyes were dancing across her, searching for something. She could feel his curiosity piqued, his fear still lingering in the background. Finally he sighed, reaching across the table he squeezed her hand. "I don't want you to come, because I'm certain I will not be coming back alive. But I know if you don't go with me, you'll go alone. And I'm not sure that I can handle that knowledge."</p><p>"It's getting colder out," Elara said. "Do you have plenty packed for that?"</p><p>"I have a tent we can use. I snagged a few of our old blankets and embedded them with warming charms. I have a supply of nonperishable food, enough to last a few weeks. I want to camp as long as we can survive it, and then start heading west. I have a few connections that are going to help me get a Muggle passport so I can leave the country that way. I'll owl and see if they can accommodate you as well."</p><p>Elara shook her head, "No. I'll help you get that far. But I'm not leaving the country. I can't leave Harry like that. Not until I know he's safe. And my brother, my mum… I know my Father has been trying to look after mum, make sure they don't hurt her. But I can't leave knowing she's there. I can't leave Draco with all of our mess."</p><p>Elara and Ted talked well into the morning, planning their route from the house and where they would go. They decided they would leave the following night. Prolonging it only made it more difficult, she knew this from experience. However, the need to say goodbye to everyone, to see Fred and George again before she left was too strong to ignore. She had left them once without warning, she didn't want to do it again.</p><hr/><p>Fred and George entered the small room where Elara had been sleeping the last month at the cottage. It was a tiny space, more than likely used as a walk-in closet before being made into a small guest room. She didn't mind the tight quarters though, a room to sleep in on a cot with warm blankets was something she knew not to take for granted.</p><p>"They've got you staying in a cupboard," Fred laughed. "Harry won't be pleased about that."</p><p>Elara chuckled, "Harry would understand someone extending kindness and making room where they could, to be accommodating. It's not the same as him being forced under the stairs by his aunt and uncle."</p><p>"Your owl made it sound urgent-</p><p>"Nearly gave us a heart trouble-</p><p>"Is everything okay?" They ended in unison.</p><p>Elara smiled, a slow nod bobbing her blonde head. "Yes. I just hadn't seen you for over a week."</p><p>At the same time, their moods shifted and Fred's eyebrows furrowed together. "You're leaving again, aren't you?"</p><p>"What makes you think that?" She asked.</p><p>"Because instead of meeting us in the sitting room-</p><p>"You've met us in private-</p><p>"Which means you don't want anyone else-</p><p>"To overhear what you have to say." George ended the sentence, his face pulled into a frown.</p><p>"You boys are rather smart when you want to be," She smiled. "I'm leaving. Tonight."</p><p>"Where will you go?" Fred asked, sitting on the bed with his elbows on his knees as he looked up at her.</p><p>"I don't know," Elara said. "Not sure yet. I might head towards Godric's Hollow."</p><p>"That's where Harry's parents lived, isn't it?" George asked.</p><p>Elara nodded. "It is. I think he'd want to go there, if he hasn't already. If he has, I may be able to ask around, see if the muggle have seen him. I might be able to figure out where he's gone from there."</p><p>"It's freezing out, Ellie." Fred said, "How are you going to be out there on your own? You'll die of hypothermia."</p><p>"I won't be alone." She whispered.</p><p>"Who?" George asked.</p><p>Elara pursed her lips and closed her eyes. As if on cue, Tonks' voice came loud through the door, "YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS?! DAD YOU CAN'T LEAVE! WHAT IF THEY CATCH YOU?!"</p><p>"You're going on the run with Ted?" Fred asked. "Ellie, there's snatchers everywhere. The fact that you made it this far is unbelievable but for you <em>both</em> to go out there? It's nearly Christmas! You can't wait until after?"</p><p>"And then what, Fred? Wait until after New Year? And then Easter? Just sitting around, waiting? Hoping Harry is okay and not doing anything to find him? I can't. I can't do that."</p><p>"That's what you think we're all doing?" George asked, "You think we're just waiting around for the other bludger to drop?"</p><p>"That's not.. That's not what I mean. You all have each other. You have your families to look after." She said.</p><p>"Our brother is out there with him!" Fred argued, "You think we don't care about what they're doing?! You think we don't think about it every single day?"</p><p>
  <em>Anger. Shock. Disappointment. Fear.</em>
</p><p>"No!" Elara said, "No! That's not what I mean! Look, you have other responsibilities! Other people who are depending on you. I have Harry and Draco and I certainly can't do anything about my brother right now, so I <em>need</em> to find Harry."</p><p>"What about us?" Fred asked, the hurt in his emotions written all over his face. "You have us!"</p><p>"You're angry and I understand but-</p><p>"I don't think you do!" Fred shouted.</p><p>"Freddie," George said, laying his hand on his twin's shoulder.</p><p>Fred shrugged it off, giving his brother a light shove. "No! I don't think you understand! Ellie when you came back to the Burrow you had your arm fucking <em>sewn</em> onto your body! You're still too thin! I can see your ribs through your shirt! No amount of do-good attitude is going to make me understand why you have to leave again!"</p><p>Elara flinched at the tone of his words. She knew they'd be upset, knew that <em>Fred</em> would be upset. "Fred, I'm sorry. I'm sorry but I <em>have</em> to! I've been here too long! You're all in danger the longer I'm here. It's only a matter of time before the door is being kicked in by Death Eaters!"</p><p>"Then come stay with us!"</p><p>"At the flat in Diagon Alley?! You'll both be killed within the week!" Elara cried, "You can be angry at me, if that's how you want to leave this, then fine. But I love you both and I wanted to say a proper goodbye this time because I don't know what's going to happen."</p><p>Fred's face fell and the flush in his cheeks from his anger dissipated. He stared at her as George wrapped her in a hug, kissing the top of her head. "We just want you safe," George said. "And it's terrifying to know you're out there and we know nothing."</p><p>Elara returned the embrace and sighed. "I know," She said. "I know. I'm scared too. But I've spent my life on the side lines letting everyone make decisions for me. I can't do that anymore. I can't watch everything fall to pieces around me all the time and not at least <em>try</em>."</p><p>No sooner did George's arms fall to his side was she wrapped in an even tighter hug from Fred. He pressed his lips into her hair and she felt him shake. His voice broken when he finally spoke to her, "You always have a place with us, Ellie. Please know that. We love you. I love you. Don't go off and splinch yourself again, okay? The next time I see you, you'd better be in one piece."</p><p>"Yeah, only room for one person with missing parts in the Order," George chimed in.</p><p>Elara laughed, "I have no plans of splinching myself again. That was terrible enough the first time around."</p><p>After an extremely tense and quiet supper, one last emotional outburst that ended in a shouting match from Tonks and a few more sniffles and tears on everyone's part, Elara and Ted gathered their knapsacks and stepped out of the safety of the wards surrounding the cottage. Elara took a deep breath, placing her hand in the crook of her Uncle's elbow and fought the urge to look back as they disapparated from the property with a soft <em>pop</em>!</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>connect with me!! Mimifreed Writing on facebook! :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 25: Pursuit of Happiness.</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Cigarette Daydreams by Cage the Elephant</em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>Elara was panting when she woke up. Her hair was clinging to her sweat-soaked neck and she could feel the twist of the lingering terror ripping through her mind. Another nightmare. She sighed heavily, shoving her hair from her face and swinging her legs over the side of the narrow camp bed. She slipped her feet into her trainers, grabbed her wand from the small side table, and pulled her cloak over her shoulders.</p>
<p>Ted was sitting just outside the opening of their small tent, he was looking out into the space in the woods, his wand in hand as he watched the surrounding area for intruders. Elara lightly touched his shoulder in warning that she was beside him. He looked up and gave her a sad smile, knowing that the nightmares came frequent for her. Elara sat next to him, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them, her chin resting on her kneecaps and her wand in her hand.</p>
<p>"What was it this time?" Ted asked.</p>
<p>"Draco," Elara whispered. "I can't remember what exactly, but I know it was about him."</p>
<p>Ted made a noncommittal hum and turned a bit to look at her. "Tell me something about the two of you. Something that makes you laugh."</p>
<p>Elara smiled. This was their routine in the two weeks since they left the cottage. When one of them would wake up from the inevitable nightmare or experience a long stretch of anxiety fueled insomnia, they would prompt one another to trade stories. Things that made them happy, good memories they could hang on to.</p>
<p>"Draco always eats the center of my lemon tarts," Elara said, a bit of laughter in her tone. "I like the outside, where the crust is and he likes the center because of all the whipped cream. When we were little, mum would give us each our own tarts and we would scoop the centers out. He would give me his crust, and I would give him my center."</p>
<p>"You don't like the center? Why not?" Ted asked.</p>
<p>"It's too sweet. I like the lemon tarts, because they aren't quite as sickeningly sweet as an apple or chocolate, but with all the whipped cream on top, it's still too sweet."</p>
<p>"Why not just take the whipped cream off?"</p>
<p>Elara laughed, "I don't know. We never thought about it. He liked the center part the best, I liked the crust, so we would trade."</p>
<p>"There used to be a bakery in the neighborhood I grew up in," Ted said, a far away look in his eyes as he turned to face the woods again. "They had the most amazing treacle tart I ever tasted. It's the first dessert I ever bought for Andy, when we were younger."</p>
<p>"Harry's favorite is treacle tart," Elara responded. "He always tastes like it when we…" She trailed off, her cheeks heating up from her admission.</p>
<p>Ted laughed lightly, "I'm old, but I'm not blind. I'm also not immune to missing the taste of the person you love. Cinnamon, Andy always tastes like cinnamon."</p>
<p>"Treacle and Chocolate. I think it's because his aunt and uncle were very awful to him when he was young. They never let him have sweets, so he gobbles them up constantly now."</p>
<p>A wistful smile fell over Ted's face and a comfortable silence settled between them. Elara moved a few inches closer to him, leaning her head on his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her, tugging her closer to him. It was a comfort she sought from him frequently. In her Uncle's arms, she felt safe, as if in the middle of the woods, on the run from snatchers and Death Eaters, she had a little piece of something familiar. Something that felt like home.</p>
<p>"You know, one of my biggest regrets is that Andy didn't get to be a part of your lives growing up. That she was casted out, disowned by her entire family, for me." He said.</p>
<p>"I haven't known either of you very long, but I get the idea that she would do it a hundred times over," Elara whispered. "You two were made for one another. From totally different worlds, and fit together like jigsaw pieces."</p>
<p>Ted laughed lightly, "For being seventeen, you are very attuned to the world surrounding you."</p>
<p>"I spent over fifteen years inside the Manor, with nothing but time to study. People aren't much different than books. Some are harder to read than others, some take more time, but you can read them just the same. I just have a little extra help from my abilities to absorb emotion."</p>
<p>"Does it hurt?" Ted asked, "Being able to feel everyone's emotions so deeply?"</p>
<p>The question struck her in an odd manner. She had been asked many times to explain what she was feeling, to explain other's emotions. Everyone who knew, wanted proof. Wanted her to prove to them that she could feel them, and then seemed surprised when she did. Everyone was quick to be weary, to feel the need to guard themselves around her once they found out. They felt vulnerable and naked, knowing someone could feel what they felt, knowing that while their <em>thoughts</em> were private, their emotions were not.</p>
<p>Very rarely did anyone care if it hurt her. Harry cared. Harry had scooped her up and found a way to collect her feelings from her in the form of crystal beads. Fred cared. Fred had created a dampening potion for her, to help keep it under control so she wouldn't have to succumb to everyone around her.</p>
<p>Even Snape, who was one of the first outside of her family to know of her abilities, aside from Blaise, of course. Snape who created her first dampening potion, who had suggested using Harry to pull her out of her own mind when it imprisoned her. Who felt remorse and guilt deeper than anyone she had ever felt.</p>
<p>"<em>There are plans in place to guarantee the perception of success."</em></p>
<p>Snape's words to her rang loud around her head as her thoughts spiraled deeper into themselves. Did it hurt? Did it hurt to <em>know</em> someone's emotions and…</p>
<p>Elara bolted upright from her leaning position against Ted and pursed her lips in thought, staring deep into the moonlit woods as her brain began to whirl and a tug in her chest pulled a strange piece of the puzzle from the depths of that night. The night Dumbledore died. There had been so much going on, so many people surrounding her, so much adrenaline pumping through her veins that she had initially missed it. The fear she had felt, that was definite. There was fear from nearly everyone standing on the ramparts of the tower that night.</p>
<p>Everyone except for Dumbledore.</p>
<p>"There are plans in place to guarantee the perception of success," Elara whispered, scrambling to her feet as she began pacing the frozen ground.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry?" Ted asked, his confusion shrouding his tone.</p>
<p>For someone who was <em>pleading for his life</em> he was certainly <em>calm</em>. Calm as if he <em>knew</em> he was going to die. As if he <em>knew</em> what was about to happen. <em>Plans in place</em>… Dumbledore had felt no fear, no confusion. She closed her eyes, trying desperately to channel that night, to dig into her memory and try to <em>feel it </em>again. There was fear, practically thick in the air from Draco and Harry. There was excitement from the other Death Eaters, there was anger and an unwillingness from Snape, a bitterness to his emotions that suggested he was doing something he didn't want to do.</p>
<p>And from Dumbledore there was an almost impassive serenity. No fire under the plea for help, the plea for his life. Almost as if he <em>wanted</em> to die.</p>
<p>"Uncle Ted," Elara said, turning on her heel to stare down at the man. "Do you know what hurts most about feeling others emotions deeply? It isn't what you would expect. It isn't that I get flustered when someone is irate, or I cry when someone feels desperate or very sad. It's the things I miss in the <em>moment</em>. The small emotions, that fade into the background, that get eaten up by stronger ones around it. Emotions like serenity in the middle of a battle, they fade into the background. What hurts about my abilities, is when it takes me a little longer than it should to piece something together because I was distracted by stronger emotions, like rage or excitement. That I missed the bitter unwillingness of a man who feels forced to do something he doesn't want to do."</p>
<p>Ted slowly rose to his feet, stepping toward Elara with uncertainty. "What do you mean?"</p>
<p>"I'm going to sound barmy, but I need you to just hear me out a moment," She began. "I think we've got it all wrong."</p>
<p>"What? What have we gotten wrong?" He asked.</p>
<p>Elara's breaths came in heavier pants as she stared at the ground between them, her eyes flickering all over the frost covered twigs as her mind worked to fit everything together. Every impossible piece that didn't make sense in the moment, that had kept her up at night, that had confused and uprooted every person in the Order.</p>
<p>"I think Dumbledore knew he was going to die that night. And I think he knew Snape was meant to do it. In fact, I think that was part of the plan," She said.</p>
<p>
  <em>I know what has to be done and so does Dumbledore… Potter is being prepared for more than we are… Hone your abilities, don't shut them out for ease of process… Interesting, that your father should give you a horcrux right before you should meet with the Dark Lord...</em>
</p>
<p>Snape knew. Snape knew about the horcruxes, he <em>had</em> to have known, at least to some extent. And he had been telling her since the beginning of her time at Hogwarts! He had alluded to it more than once and she was too <em>blinded </em>by the bigger picture to notice the details. To pay attention to the lesser emotions.</p>
<p>"Elara, darling, that doesn't make any sense. Why would Dumbledore have wanted to die by Snape's hand?" Ted asked.</p>
<p>"I don't know yet," She admitted. "But Uncle, what do you know about Horcruxes?"</p>
<hr/>
<p>Elara knew that telling Ted about the Horcruxes was a risk. It was opening up more doors should he be captured. If the information was brought out of him, it could mean Harry's death. It could mean the end of the Wizarding community as they knew it. But she needed to flesh out the idea with someone. She needed to tell someone everything, every small detail she had shoved to the back of her mind to collect dust as they sat, unused and unimportant.</p>
<p>Everything she had overlooked in her pursuit of happiness, in her attempt to get away from her family name, in her decision to follow Harry and push away any part of her that may sully him.</p>
<p>Elara emptied the last two years of knowledge, of emotions and conversations into Ted's lap to open up and analyze. It was the first time she had told anyone of her conversations with Snape, of the subtle clues he had left behind for her to decipher. They spent hours talking, going over the information she had, digging deeper into her memory and picking apart the smallest ideas and complicated emotions.</p>
<p>She realized that Ted was a very level-headed individual with the ability to put aside his own bias to assess information at face value; which was exactly what she needed. Elara quickly understood, while they talked and theorized together, why Ted was in Ravenclaw during his time at Hogwarts. He was intelligent but not in the practical sense, like Hermione or Remus. He was creative in his theories and gave her different avenues to consider.</p>
<p>He also believed her, which she hadn't initially expected when she began talking to him about her idea.</p>
<p>"Why would Snape take over as Headmaster though?" Ted asked, looking up from his breakfast several hours after they had begun their discussion. "Why not just let Minerva run the school?"</p>
<p>"He'd have to save face, wouldn't he?" Elara countered, "If he's still playing both sides against the middle, he'd have to look like he was working for You-Know-Who still. What I can't figure out is why he would allow the Carrow's of all people to become professors?!"</p>
<p>"Unless he wasn't given the choice," Ted suggested. "If you're right, and he took the Headmaster's position in order to save face, he would have to allow Death Eaters on premises, wouldn't he?"</p>
<p>"But the Carrow's? They're <em>evil</em>, Uncle Ted. Absolutely evil."</p>
<p>Ted shrugged, taking another bit of his porridge and grimacing down at the bowl. "I could really go for a proper breakfast. Eggs and sausage… I swear it will be the first thing I eat when we're not stuck living in a tent. At the very least, some honey to flavor this gruel."</p>
<p>Elara chuckled and nodded in agreement, "I'd do questionable things for a good pastry."</p>
<hr/>
<p>Draco spat blood onto the flagstones beneath him as he rolled onto his side, coughing and clutching his ribs as another aftershock of agony tore up his spine and pumped blood to his ears. His vision blurred and came back into focus enough to see Amycus Carrow's smug face as he holstered his wand and walked away, leaving Draco to writhe on the ground in pain.</p>
<p>The Carrow's were becoming even more creative in their punishments these days, and a simple <em>cruciatus</em> was no longer Amycus's go to curse of choice. Instead, he had become rather fond of some dark curse that Draco had never heard before. But it set his nerves on fire and made his ribs crack and twist out of place before smashing them back together again. He felt like every joint in his body had been pulled apart. As if he had been strapped to four horses that were running in different directions, his limbs being torn from his body from the inside and then slammed back into place.</p>
<p>It was unpleasant, to say the least.</p>
<p>"Shit, Malfoy! Are you all right?" The light voice of Ginny Weasley faded into his consciousness.</p>
<p>Draco blinked heavily, his vision adjusting to the room around him. He realized he must have faded out for longer than he thought, because the lighting was dimmer than it had been and sunlight pouring in from the windows was the dark orange glow of dusk.</p>
<p>"Never been better, Red," He groaned, trying to sit up.</p>
<p>Ginny knelt beside him, a hand on his chest as she held him to the ground. "Don't get up," She said. "Was it a <em>crucio</em> or whatever the hell that new one is?"</p>
<p>"It was Amycus, so the new one. Alecto is still rather fond of the tried and true," Draco mumbled. He coughed, clutching at his ribs as the force of it rattled his burning insides. "<em>Fuck</em>! If I wanted to be tortured constantly I would have just stayed at the fucking Manor with Bella."</p>
<p>Ginny frowned down at him, her brows pulling together to crease the space between them with concern. From where she sat, on her knees and hovering over him, he could count the freckles on her nose. She brought her hands up to his face, gently cupping it and moving his head from side to side. "You smacked your head good on the stones, it looks like."</p>
<p>"And here I thought the headache was lack of caffeine," Draco responded.</p>
<p>She smirked and twisted away from him, digging through a beat up, old knapsack that was littered with ink stains and had a broken clasp on the front. G.F.W was embroidered into the canvas material. Ginny pulled out a phial of the familiar purple pain relief potion and handed it to him. "I've added a touch of Skele-gro to this batch, to help with the ache in your bones. Let me know how it works, yeah?"</p>
<p>Draco nodded, pushing himself up to his elbows and swallowing down the contents. "G.F.W?" He asked.</p>
<p>"What?" Ginny said, looking up from her bag.</p>
<p>"G.F.W.," He repeated, pointing to her bag. "What's the F stand for?"</p>
<p>"Fabian," Ginny said, pulling out a small white cloth and a bottle of the antiseptic they had created out of a small amount of dittany and cleansing potion. She poured the mixture on the cloth and began dabbing it on a tender spot of his head.</p>
<p>"Your middle name is Fabian?"</p>
<p>"George's middle name is Fabian," She said. "It was his bag, first."</p>
<p>"Why Fabian?" Draco asked, wincing at the slight burning feeling from the antiseptic potion.</p>
<p>"It was my uncle's name. Fabian and Gideon. George Fabian, Fred Gideon. They were twins, born the same day as Fred and George and according to my mum, just as ornery as my brothers are."</p>
<p>"You don't remember them?" Draco asked, sitting upright when Ginny finished with the antiseptic.</p>
<p>"No," She said, returning the items to her bag. "They were killed by Death Eaters in the first war. Never even met them."</p>
<p>"Oh," He said, his lips tugging downward. "I'm sorry."</p>
<p>"Don't apologize. You didn't kill them."</p>
<p>Draco shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat, "What's your middle name then?"</p>
<p>"Molly, after my mum. Yours?" Ginny asked.</p>
<p>"Lucius," Draco said. "I think you know who that is, though."</p>
<p>Ginny laughed, a soft chuckle that turned something in his chest over. "Yes, I have had the absolute <em>pleasure</em> of encountering your father."</p>
<p>Draco snorted and pushed himself up from the floor, dusting off his trousers and straightening his tie. "He wasn't always that unpleasant. Not to us, at least."</p>
<p>Ginny paused, her bag hanging from her hand in the air as she stared at him. "Was he good to your family? Before all of this?"</p>
<p>Draco nodded, "He tried to be. He loves my mum more than life itself, Ellie is a close second. We always had a complicated relationship, Ellie said we were too much alike for our own good."</p>
<p>Ginny laughed, that light, musical laugh again. "Ellie is wrong about one thing."</p>
<p>"What do you mean?"</p>
<p>"Well, look at you!" She insisted, "Do you think your father would have ever joined a resistance as a marked Death Eater? Taken rounds of torture so that a second year student didn't have to..? I certainly can't see a world where he would do that. But then again, it's your dad. I assume you know him far better than I do."</p>
<p>"To be fair, <em>I</em> never thought I would join a resistance as a marked Death Eater."</p>
<p>Ginny shouldered her bag and grabbed his from the nearby desk, handing it over to him. "I don't think that's true. Ellie told us about that night, that you lowered your wand. That you were forced to take the Mark. I wouldn't have let you join the D.A. if I thought I couldn't trust that you wanted to do the right thing."</p>
<p>"You trust me?" Draco asked.</p>
<p>She shrugged, "I suppose I do. You haven't given me a reason not to, yet. Should I not?"</p>
<p>Draco walked to the desk and perched himself on top of it, not quite ready to leave the classroom and end the conversation with her. She regarded him, curiously. Watching his movements as he pulled his foot up to the desk, draping an arm over his knee while his opposite leg dangled. "I'm not even quite sure I trust myself most days," He admitted.</p>
<p>Ginny crossed the room, pulling herself onto the desk opposite of him and crossing her legs in a pretzel fold. She pulled her hands through her elbow length, red hair, collecting it at the crown of her head and pulling an elastic from her wrist to tie it out of her face. "Oh, I'm not sure I believe that, Draco Malfoy."</p>
<p>He arched an eyebrow at her, "Oh?"</p>
<p>She smirked, tilting her head a bit to the side. "Everything you've done in the weeks you've been with us, has been self-assured. You're a Slytherin, so by nature you need to preserve yourself. You need to <em>trust</em> that what your doing will further that sense of self-preservation. You're intelligent, almost <em>annoyingly</em> so. Use that brain of yours. If you didn't trust yourself do you think you'd be here right now, talking to me?"</p>
<p>"It was Blaise's idea, to come to you."</p>
<p>"You agreed though," Ginny said. "Why?"</p>
<p>"I've told you, already. For Ellie."</p>
<p>She shook her head, her ponytail whipping across the backs of her shoulders. "You can't be doing everything for Ellie. There has to be some motivation for yourself in there. Even the most noble of people have some sort of selfishness in their cause. No one is built to be <em>completely</em> selfless."</p>
<p>Ginny unfolded her legs from the top of the desk and hopped back down to the floor. She stepped over to him and held out a hand, looking at him expectantly. Draco felt his eyebrows shoot up his forehead, his eyes growing wide. He grasped her hand and slid off the desk.</p>
<p>Her hand felt small in his, her fingers slender as they wrapped around his palm, a gentle pressure against the back of his hand. He felt his throat bob as he swallowed, watched as Ginny's eyes followed the movement of his adam's apple. Her blue eyes locked onto his and he could see a curiosity behind them.</p>
<p>"I don't want to become my father," Draco found himself whispering. The words spilling from his mouth before he could stop them. He felt his chest tighten as his throat constricted slightly, a burn behind his eyes as he blinked. The words continued to come, he couldn't stop them from slipping past his lips. "I don't want people to be afraid of me. I want them to respect me for the right reasons, not because I've strong-armed them into it. I want to be the sort of person that people are proud to call their friend. I want to have children one day who look up to me, who want to be just like me. I want to love someone the way Ellie loves Potter, the way Blaise loves Alannis. And I'm <em>so </em>fucking tired of being the villain of everyone's story, of being the person people hate just because they need to hate someone."</p>
<p>There was silence that lingered between them, Ginny staring at him, her hand still wrapped around his. So, he continued, "I know how it looks. I know that me taking the Mark and letting them in here was predictable. That people <em>expected</em> that it would be me who fucked up so royally. No one was surprised to hear that it was me. No one ever believed that I would be anything different than a low-life Death Eater who hated muggleborns for the sake of hating them and who relished in the thought of the Dark Lord prevailing. Ellie believed I could be more than that though, so when I say that I'm doing this for her, it's not selfless. It's because I don't know how else to put into words the things that she believed I could be, the things I <em>want</em> to be."</p>
<p>Ginny's eyebrows knit together as she stepped forward, her free hand reaching up to lightly touch the side of his face. He felt himself lean into the touch, he closed his eyes and took a slow breath. When his eyes opened again, Ginny was studying him. The pad of her thumb drew a light path under his eye, cutting across his cheek bone.</p>
<p>"I don't think you're a villain, Draco." She said, "I think you were forced to do some really fucked up shit, but I don't think you're a bad person because of it. I think you're arrogant, sometimes. A bit of a prat on a good day, but you aren't a villain. You aren't evil. You just weren't offered kindness when you needed it."</p>
<p>Ginny stepped in further, closing the gap between them, her chest brushing against his and Draco felt his breath hitch.</p>
<p>"I think you need it," She whispered.</p>
<p>She pushed up on her tiptoes and Draco's eyes fluttered shut as he breathed her in, a calm settling in his chest despite his racing heart. When her lips pressed to his, it was light and sweet and so much different than he had ever experienced with Pansy or any of the other girls he had kissed. Her lips weren't begging for anything from him, they weren't taking what he had. They were giving. They were reassuring and offering forgiveness. As her lips, soft and plump, moved against his, they were re-writing a story of past prejudice, of every time she threatened to hex him, of every time he made fun of her family.</p>
<p>When Draco's tongue slipped past the seam of her lips and began dancing against hers, he could taste the peppermint she always smelled like. He briefly wondered how a mouth that tasted so sweet had the ability to spit such fire. His hands settled on her waist and he found himself pulling her closer, embracing her as their mouths moved in hungered unison.</p>
<p>After several long, air-restricted minutes, Ginny pulled away from him and Draco nearly whined. She wrapped both arms around him and pressed her head into his chest as she held him and he wondered if she could hear his heart thundering.</p>
<p>"You aren't your father, Draco," Ginny whispered. "And you deserve all the kindness the world has to give. Even with the regrets of your past."</p>
<p>Draco tightened his grip on her and rested his chin on the top of her head, "I don't know where you came from, Red. But I'm really glad you're here."</p>
<p>.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey! Thanks for reading! If you want to, you should check out my FB group! Mimifreed Writing</p>
<p>So I know, I know, people aren't super sure about the Draco/Ginny pairing here. But let me just say... I love it. I love Drinny, you guys. And that's a mountain I'll die on. Anyway, I actually hadn't planned for it to happen, but sometimes characters  take on a mind of their own and well... Drinny. It's been no secret of mine that I adore Draco and I've clearly been trying to throw my boy a bone, so consider this a version of that. Also, I guess technically it's monday (it's 2 AM where I'm at) so technically, I'm posting a day late. But, fear not! Because you all have been so patient and wonderful and just overall amazing, I'm gonna give you an extra chapter this week :)</p>
<p>Anyway, you know I love you, and you know I love reviews! So lay them on me! Thank you so much for reading!</p>
<p>xo</p>
<p>Mimi</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 26: Snatchers</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Going Home Again by This Way to the Egress</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Bad Guy by Billie Eilish</em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>Four weeks.</p>
<p>Ted and Elara had left Tonks Cottage four weeks ago, and they were no closer to getting Ted out of the country or finding Harry than they were the day they left. The only difference between now and then was the snowfall came in thick, freezing sheets and they were beginning to run low on food and nutrient potions.</p>
<p>The contact that Ted had that was supposed to help him get a Muggle passport and exchange his wizarding money for muggle money had gone quiet two weeks ago. Ted had set up some sort of special box system through the muggle post office that Elara didn't quite understand, in order to communicate with the man. Ted had received his last letter two weeks ago. After sending four letters in two weeks, with no reply, they came to the conclusion that the man had either been captured, fled town, or killed.</p>
<p>Ted was creative, however, and they had been drafting a plan to get their hands on an unregistered portkey so that Elara could tinker with it to send him someplace safe while she remained behind to continue her search for Harry.</p>
<p>That was what had led them to Diagon Alley just before Christmas.</p>
<p>When they apparated outside the Leaky Cauldron, Elara's pulse began racing as the nerves set in. She adjusted the shoulder straps of her bag and felt the contents shift inside of it. Ted had been adamant that she pack the tent and what little provisions they had left in her own bag, should they get separated. He still held out hope that she would come with him once they located a portkey.</p>
<p>Elara was disguised, her hair transfigured a similar inky black to that of Harry's, turned into a very short bob that hit just below her chin. She had changed the structure of her jaw and nose, and her teeth were now much larger in her mouth, nearly protruding past her lips. Her nose was shorter now, but slightly hooked and when she caught a glimpse of herself in the window she realized she looked much older.</p>
<p><em>Good</em>.</p>
<p>Ted took her hand and they strolled through the Leaky, giving a curt nod to the barkeeper and bee lining for the back door. Once they entered the small alley, Ted brandished his wand and tapped against the bricks. Elara tapped her foot impatiently, her stomach twisting in knots as she waited for the archway to open. It felt <em>too </em>calm here, too quiet. As if all the raw emotions of the community had been sucked dry and left behind only a shell of what it was. As soon as they stepped foot in Diagon Alley, she understood why.</p>
<p>Dementors.</p>
<p>There were swarms of them, floating through the cobblestone roads and in between the businesses. All being held back by a few patrolling silvery animals she hadn't seen before. An eagle, a bobcat, a greyhound… All wandering up and down the center street as tall, cloaked figures wearing silver masks marched from one end of the street to the other.</p>
<p>Elara quickly pulled Ted into an alcove behind Eyelops Owl Emporium and pulled her wand from her sleeve.</p>
<p>"I'm going to cast a notice-me-not," She said. "I think it'll be too obvious if we use a disillusionment. The Dementors might still sense us. At least if we use a notice-me-not and the Death Eaters see us, they won't pay us any mind."</p>
<p>"Good thinking," Ted said.</p>
<p>Elara offered a half-hearted smile before casting the charm over each of them and grasping his hand again. She could feel his nerves prickling against her, his apprehension of the situation at hand matching her own and she wondered if they should turn back. Before she could voice the concern, he pulled her onto the footpath and they moved swiftly down the stretch of road.</p>
<p>Her eyes flickered over every business as they passed, a sickening sense of dread sitting heavy in her stomach. She didn't like this, not one bit. It felt unnatural to be here. The once lively road, full of laughing people and smiling children just before Christmas was empty. What windows hadn't been smashed in, were boarded up and she nearly choked when she saw Fred and George's shop.</p>
<p>It had been <em>destroyed</em>.</p>
<p>The front door was hanging from the hinges, glass sparkled against the stones like diamonds and inside, she could see every bit of merchandise that had been left on the shelves was torn to shreds. Her heart shattered, fell into pieces as she stared into the broken windows of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. As she stared at the life work of people she cared about, busted up and scattered all over the floor as if it meant nothing.</p>
<p>"Do you think they're okay?" Elara whispered.</p>
<p>Ted nodded, "They're smart lads, I'm sure they're safe."</p>
<p>Elara swallowed the lump that was growing in her throat and pushed forward, her feet heavy as lead as she moved beside her Uncle, trying to steady her panicked breaths. Slowly, they rounded the dark corner at the sign pointing to Knockturn Alley, and she felt like she could breathe again, for a brief moment.</p>
<p>There were no Dementors present here, only the strange misfits that usually occupied the space. A dark haired witch with cloudy eyes and missing teeth looked up from a stand she sat behind, a crystal ball before her. Elara almost laughed at the absurdity of it, the witch looked like the caricature of a seer that she had watched on Hermione's telly while she stayed there early in the summer.</p>
<p>They moved through the dark alley, passing Cobb &amp; Webb's she wondered where they were supposed to be meeting this person who sold unregistered portkeys. Elara now realized, too late on her part, she had not asked enough questions. She had no idea how Ted had heard of this person, or how they were supposed to trust that this person wouldn't test to make sure they weren't under any spells to disguise themselves.</p>
<p>She thought back to a time where she had walked down Knockturn Alley with her father, his large hand gripping her small one as she sucked on a sugar quill that she promised not to tell her mother about. The strange occupants of Knockturn Alley would give a wide berth, crossing the road when Lucius Malfoy walked the street. It didn't matter if he was holding the hand of his nine year old daughter, it was the other hand the people here had feared. The one that was gripped around the platinum head of a serpent that would draw his wand and curse them into oblivion.</p>
<p>Elara realized now that the low level of fear and anxiety she always associated with Knockturn Alley was not due to the place itself. Infact, she felt none of that now; just an overall sense of uneasiness and mystery, really. It was due to the tall, blonde man who called her "poppet" and "flower" and told her that if she didn't touch anything in the shop, he would buy her sweets and a new Hissing Azalea sapling.</p>
<p>There would be no sugar quills or carnivorous plants during this trip and Elara quickly found an ache in her chest that pulled her memory from the fearsome, respected man her father had once been, and replaced it with the thin, fading man she had met in Azkaban Prison. The man with scars on his fingers from rat bites and a dirty blonde beard hanging from his too-thin face.</p>
<p>"I don't like this place," Elara whispered, clutching onto Ted's arm. "It feels all wrong here, Ted."</p>
<p>"Knockturn Alley is much darker a place and-</p>
<p>"I've been here more times than I can count," She interrupted. "It's not that. It's… It's a <em>feeling</em>. Something is <em>wrong</em>. Please, let's go back. This isn't right, something isn't right."</p>
<p>"You're nervous," Ted insisted. "It's okay. We're nearly there."</p>
<p>Elara whimpered quietly and swallowed back her fear, trying to tame the racing of her heart against her sternum as they turned right and walked to the end of the alley. Ted placed a hand on the twisted brass handle that stuck out of the door labeled The White Wyvern and pulled the heavy walnut door open.</p>
<p>Inside, the pub was dimly lit and much cleaner than Elara would have imagined for a place like Knockturn Alley. She followed Ted to the back of the pub, sliding into the booth and scooting closer to the wall to make room for Ted. He slid in next to her and ordered them both a Butterbeer while they waited for their contact to arrive.</p>
<p>Her eyes scanned the surrounding tables. There weren't many people inside the small pub, she assumed with it being so close to Christmas and the state of Diagon Alley, most of the patrons that would be here have probably elected to stay home with their families. The ones who hadn't been captured or killed, at least. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, she felt hot and nervous, her palms clammy against the glass of Butterbeer,</p>
<p>Elara forced herself to calm down, to take a sip of the rich liquid she didn't usually imbibe in and try to relax. Ted was intelligent, she had to trust he knew what he was doing. She had to trust that the contact was someone he knew that was just meeting them here so they didn't blow their cover and-</p>
<p>Her stomach dropped into her feet the moment she locked eyes with the man making his way to their booth from the back alley entrance. She <em>knew</em> this man. She had seen him more than once. Elara's mind began racing as she tried to put together the pieces of the puzzle, trying desperately to remember why she knew who this was, where she had seen him before. His long hair looked nearly matted and had a few bright colored feathers woven through it. He was tall and thin with a sharply pointed jawline and a slightly crooked nose. His dark eyes sat deep against his olive toned skin and his tightly fitted robes were worn.</p>
<p>"Firewhiskey," He said.</p>
<p>And with that one word, the hazy memory of the days after her splinching slammed into the front of her mind.</p>
<p>"<em>I've got a feeling we ought to hang around this forest a few days. If we're finding loose sickles around it could be her…"</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Snatchers.</em>
</p>
<p>Panic bloomed in her chest as the man made his way toward them, a venomous smile on his face as he stalked closer to their table. Elara's eyes grew wide and shook her sleeve, beckoning her wand into her hand. Ted hadn't seen him yet, hadn't even looked up from his Butterbeer.</p>
<p>"Snatchers, Uncle Ted. He's a snatcher. He's one of the ones I saw in the woods after I got separated from Harry. We have to go, we have to go right now." Elara whispered as fiercely as she could, shoving on him to get him to move from the booth.</p>
<p>Ted looked at her for a moment, his brows furrowed together and confusion pumping through him. Finally, he registered the look of fear on her face and got up from the booth, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the exit.</p>
<p>"Hey! You didn't pay! Hey! That's eight sickles!" The Barkeeper yelled as they pushed the door open.</p>
<p>Elara dared a look over her shoulder and saw the snatcher pick up his pace, his eyes locked on hers again and another sickening smile pulled his face into a split. She whipped back around and before she knew it, she and Ted were running back the way they came. Tearing up the crooked back streets of Knockturn Alley and flying around the corner into the Dementor swarm of Diagon Alley.</p>
<p>She could hear the pounding of footsteps on the pavement behind her, the heavy puffs of breath at their back and a crazed sort of excitement seeping from the man as he chased them.</p>
<p>"Where can we go?!" She cried, her breath choking her as they began sprinting toward the entrance of the Alley. "Where can we go?!"</p>
<p>"Muggle London!" Ted said, "We need to get to Muggle London! We can shake him loose there!"</p>
<p>"Them," Elara corrected, looking over her shoulder again. Two more men had joined him in their chase. "There's three of them now!"</p>
<p>"Fuck!" Ted swore, his grip tightening on Elara's arm.</p>
<p>They reached the entrance to the alley and the bricks moved quickly as they approached. Elara slid to a halt, bouncing on her toes as she waited for the bricks to slide into place and again, she and Ted were running. Sprinting through the Leaky Cauldron and knocking over chairs in their haste. She heard the confusion of the patrons inside as the old bar manager, Tom, hollered after them.</p>
<p>Ted pushed open the door leading to the streets of Muggle London and stopped briefly, looking at his surroundings before grabbing Elara's hand and dragging her to the right. They dodged groups of carolers and shoppers, mothers with children who gave them nasty looks as they practically bowled their children over.</p>
<p>"Out of the way! Move!" Elara shouted, shoving past an elderly couple that was holding shopping bags. "Sorry!" She yelled over her shoulder.</p>
<p>"They're still behind us!" Ted shouted, a few steps behind Elara. "Keep running!"</p>
<p>"Where?! Where are we going?!"</p>
<p>"Anywhere!" He yelled, "Anywhere! Just keep running!"</p>
<p>Her lungs burned from the cold air and the lack of oxygen as her feet moved faster across the icy cement. She took a corner around an ancient looking building and slid into a rubbish bin. Ted grabbed her bicep and yanked her to her feet, pulling her behind him as he kept moving. Down the alley, there were no muggles. Ted fired off a <em>Stupefy</em> behind him and Elara shouted "<em>Impedimenta!" </em>throwing her wand blindly behind her and hoping it hit one of the wizards on their tail.</p>
<p>
  <em>Rage. Excitement. Glee. Anger.</em>
</p>
<p>The emotions were cycling so quickly it made her dizzy. She couldn't tell from who the stronger ones, the more furious ones, were coming from. There was no time to think about it, no time to assess the situation and see who was following them.</p>
<p>"You'll have to do better than that, Mudbloods!" One of them yelled as Ted threw another hex over his shoulder.</p>
<p>"I can stop them!" Elara yelled. "Uncle Ted! I can stop them!"</p>
<p>"Elara, no!" He shouted back. "No! Absolutely not!"</p>
<p>He pulled her around another corner and they skid to a stop, Elara nearly smacking into the brick of a building. "We're trapped!" She said, "Ted, We're trapped! Where do we go?"</p>
<p>"Apparate!" He said, "Anywhere! Take us back to-</p>
<p>As Elara grabbed her Uncle's arm and began visualizing their old campsite, she felt her wand get ripped from her hand just as the disarming spell left the lips of the man chasing them.</p>
<p>"Thought you could outrun us, did you?" The snatcher said, grabbing Elara by the hair and pulling her toward him. "Aye, you're a right ugly bitch, aren't you!"</p>
<p>"Leave her alone. She's halfblood! Take me, I'm a muggleborn! Please, leave her alone!" Ted said, struggling against the largest of the snatchers who had him forced to his knees, his hands bound behind him.</p>
<p>"Uncle, I can-</p>
<p>"No!" He shouted. "Elara, No!"</p>
<p>"Elara?" The snatcher that had his hand wrapped in her hair yanked her head back, looking down at her face. "Why is that name so familiar?"</p>
<p>"That's the name of the Malfoy brat, innit, Scabior?" The snatcher that held their wands said.</p>
<p>The dark eyes of Scabior lit up with delight. "Aye, it is. Are you a Malfoy, lass?" He stared down at her face, his eyes narrowing as they locked in on hers. "Silver eyes, don't see that too often, do you? <em>Finite</em>."</p>
<p>Elara gasped as her teeth ground and turned, straightening out and tucking back into her mouth. Her chin narrowed and shrank as her nose elongated slightly, turning up to a small point. She cried out as her hair grew, around Scabior's hand, the hair not in his grasp falling just above her waist in white blonde strands.</p>
<p>"We've just made a payday, boys." Scabior nearly squealed.</p>
<p>Ted forced himself up from his knees, throwing himself backward into the large wizard behind him, smacking the man in the face with the back of his head. He then charged forward, bowling Scabior and the other snatcher to the ground.</p>
<p>"Go!" Ted yelled. "Ellie! Go! RUN!"</p>
<p>"No!" She said, "Not without you! Not without-</p>
<p>"<em>Avada Kedavra!"<br/></em></p>
<p>"NO!" Elara screamed as the words left Scabior's mouth, a bright green light flashing, hitting Ted in the chest where he stood. "NO!"</p>
<p>Ted swayed and collapsed to the ground, in a heap of limbs and fair hair. Elara couldn't breathe. She felt like the air had been ripped from her lungs as another scream caught in her throat. Her jaw fell open, her mouth trying to force something out, but no sound would come.</p>
<p>He was dead.</p>
<p>Intelligent, witty, caring, funny Uncle Ted laid on the ground in a heap. Gone. In the blink of an eye, his life was stolen from him by a greasy snatcher for the price of one Malfoy heir. She felt sick. The vomit burned the back of her throat and finally, a scream of pure, white-hot fury tore from her chest. She reached her hands behind her, to the man who was now laughing, twisting her hair off her scalp, and gripped his face with all the force she could manage at the strange angle.</p>
<p>"You killed him!" Elara screamed, "You'll pay for that!"</p>
<p>She felt every nerve in her arm tingle with furious magic as it raced down her hand and through her fingers. She dug through the man's mind, forcing him into pain and agony, relishing in his screams as he dropped the grip on her hair and fell to his knees, his head in his hands.</p>
<p>"What are you doing to me?!" He cried, "STOP! STOP!"</p>
<p>The larger of the snatchers took off down the alley, the opposite way they had come and she threw her hand up, watching as the man slammed into the brick building, sliding down it with his head split open. She rounded on the third who was holding his wand out at her, her own wand and Ted's clutched tight in his hand, staring in horror as he looked at the leader of his group writhing in pain and screaming on the ground.</p>
<p>She locked eyes with him and stepped forward, a smirk that felt too much like her father, on her face. He stepped back and she laughed, "Stepping away won't help you now. You should have stopped when you had the chance!"</p>
<p>
  <em>Terror. Fear. Panic.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Good.</em>
</p>
<p>Elara locked in on the panic the man was feeling and intensified it, watching as he dropped to the ground, clutching his chest and sobbing loudly. She felt a sneer pull across her face and as she turned around she was met with the large snatcher she had thrown against the wall. His head was split open and blood was pouring down his face. He grabbed her by the hair and forced her to the ground, smacking her head into the stone.</p>
<p>"No!" She cried, digging her nails into his hand, trying to steady her mind and hold a grip on him to get into his mind.</p>
<p>She screamed out as her face hit the cement of the alley floor once more and she heard three distinct <em>cracks</em> of apparition before everything faded to black. The metallic taste of blood in her mouth and the distant sound of Scabior's screams echoing in her mind.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading! If you're interested, you can find a link to the complete playlist of all the songs plus all of the chapter photo manips and moodboards I make at my FB group: Mimifreed Writing.<br/>Yes, I make individual photos/boards for EACH chapter! So come join me there, and look at the stuff I make in spare time for the chapters! <br/>Please review! I hope you liked it! <br/>xo<br/>Mimi</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 27: Kindness</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <em>No Rest for the Wicked by Lykke Li</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>You Found Me by The Fray</em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>Elara blinked heavily, her eyesight struggling to adjust in the dark. She felt someone's hands on her, felt borrowed fear coursing through her.</p>
<p>"Is she dead?" A female voice said.</p>
<p>"I don't think so, she looks young," A deep male voice.</p>
<p>"Should we call the police?" The woman asked.</p>
<p>"I reckon we'd better, she looks-</p>
<p>Elara groaned, placing her palms flat against the stone beneath her and pushing herself up to all fours. "Uncle Ted?" She said, blinking rapidly.</p>
<p>"You're here alone, dear. Do you have someone we can ring for you?" The woman asked.</p>
<p>Elara looked up and saw the concerned look of a young woman, maybe thirty years old. She had shoulder length mousy brown hair and large brown eyes. A kind smile fell over her face and Elara noticed the small cleft in her chin. "No," Elara said. "No, I was with my uncle. We were attacked."</p>
<p>"Do you know what they looked like?" The man said. He was tall and broad with deeply tanned skin and thick black hair that was styled in that 'i just rolled out of bed' way.</p>
<p>Elara shook her head, instantly regretting her actions as it caused a spot behind her eyes to throb. "No," She breathed. "No, I don't. Do you know what time it is?"</p>
<p>"Half nine," The girl said.</p>
<p>"I've been out for over six hours…" Elara whispered to herself, "Merlin, where's Ted?"</p>
<p>"Six hours? Darling, how did you not freeze to death out here?" The man asked.</p>
<p>Elara stood up and swayed dangerously on her feet, stumbling into the woman. "I have to go," She said, tears building up in her eyes as the weight of what happened began to settle over her. "I have to go."</p>
<p>"Where do you need to go? Can we take you somewhere? Get you a cab?" The man asked.</p>
<p>"No, no. My wand… Where's my…" She trailed off, remembering that the snatchers took her wand from her. A sob pulled from deep in her chest, as tears began to cut through the dirt on her face. "They took it. They took my wand."</p>
<p>"Your… Your wand?" The woman asked.</p>
<p>"I need to get back to the Leaky, I can Floo from there," Elara mumbled, stumbling down the alley.</p>
<p>"You aren't making any sense, love. Let us help you!" The man said, putting an arm around her as she stumbled.</p>
<p>Elara shoved him off of her. "No! You <em>can't</em> help! Don't you see?! You're just <em>muggles</em>! You can't do anything! If they come, they'll just kill you too!"</p>
<p>"Muggles? I don't know what that means," The man said. "But you're hurt. Who was killed? Who killed someone?"</p>
<p>"It doesn't matter," Elara cried, continuing down the alley. "They killed him to get me, and they'll kill you too. Please, just leave me alone. I don't want anyone else to get hurt."</p>
<p>"We don't either. Please, you must be frozen. At least let us give you a bit of money. Some cash so you can get a cab, okay?" The woman said.</p>
<p>Elara sobbed, her shoulders shaking. "I have a tent, I'll be fine. Thank you. You're very kind, I wish they knew how kind your people were. I'm sorry. Thank you."</p>
<p>Before Elara could turn away, she felt paper being pressed into her hand. She looked down and saw several colorful notes pressed into her palm. The woman smiled at her when she looked up, her brows pulled together in confusion.</p>
<p>"If you won't let us take you home, at least let us make sure you can get there. Or get a meal. Or a motel room. My telephone number is on that card, okay? If you need anything, please ring me."</p>
<p>Elara looked at the card on the top of all the notes and saw the numbers written on it in impossibly neat print with the words "Rebecca O'Connell: Hair Artist."</p>
<p>"Thank you," Elara said, sniffling.</p>
<p>Rebecca O'Connell smiled at her again, watching her as she turned away and walked down the alley.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Elara wandered around Muggle London for two hours before she saw anything that looked vaguely familiar. Her head was pounding and she knew she must look mental, judging by the incredulous stares she got from the muggles as she passed them by. She wandered down a strip of shops and pubs and found one that looked dingy and small, not as crowded as the rest of them, but not empty either.</p>
<p>She needed to think, to figure out what to do. Without her wand on her person, apparition was out of the question. Elara grasped the handle to the pub and pulled it open, not even bothering to look at the name. She entered and looked around, locating the signs for the restrooms and making her way back toward them.</p>
<p>When she entered the loo, Elara locked the main door behind her and looked in the mirror. The right side of her face and neck was covered in sticky, dried blood. Her face bruised from the force of hitting the stone. She turned the faucet on and pumped some foamy soap into her hands and washed her face, wincing as she scrubbed the dirt and blood from it.</p>
<p>After ten minutes of scrubbing, Elara dug through her bag, locating a pain relief potion and a healing salve. She downed the phial of potion and dabbed at the gash on her forehead and cheek with the thick ointment. She then dug a new jumper from the bag and discarded the one she was wearing in the rubbish bin. It was covered in blood and she didn't have her wand to <em>scourgify </em>it, even if she wanted to.</p>
<p>Once put together, she dug the money out of her pocket that Rebecca O'Connell had given her. There were four pieces with a 10 on them and four with a 5. Elara realized she had no idea if that was a lot of money, or enough to do anything with but she was hoping it would at least be enough to get her some food and maybe a butterbeer.</p>
<p>Elara shoved the notes back into her pocket and shouldered her bag, she unlocked the door and stepped into the pub. Her eyes scanned the space again, trying to see if anyone looked out of place, if anyone looked like they could have followed her. When she felt sure that she was the only witch in the building, she took a seat at a booth that was in the center of the pub. Close enough to the door to escape, but far enough away that she could see anyone coming in.</p>
<p>"What can I get you?"</p>
<p>Elara jumped when the older woman, who looked and sounded bored, spoke. She looked expectantly at Elara. "Oh erm- a butterbeer, please. And a erm.. A basket of chips?"</p>
<p>"Chips I can do, but we don't have whatever butterbeer is. You're the second one tonight to ask for it. Is that some new drink you kids are on now?"</p>
<p>"The second one?" Elara asked, feeling more confused by that than the fact that muggles don't have butterbeer. "Who else?"</p>
<p>The waitress cocked an eyebrow at her but then pointed at a booth adjacent from hers, "Ginger bloke over there. You want something else instead?"</p>
<p>"Cider?"</p>
<p>"Cider we have.."</p>
<p>"Thank you," Elara said.</p>
<p>The woman hummed and walked away, jotting down Elara's order on a pad. Elara felt her heart speed up as she sat up straight, craning her neck to see into the booth across the aisle and up a few. She stared so long, her eyesight went blurry. Finally, she saw him. A flash of red-orange over the top of the seat as the person shifted in the booth.</p>
<p>In a flash, Elara jumped to her feet and marched over to the booth, when she stopped in front of it, her heart clenched and she nearly sobbed. The waitress had said a "ginger bloke" which could have been any of them. Any of the Weasley men would have been a welcome sight. But it was only when she saw him, sitting with his back to her and shoving a handful of chips into his mouth, did she decide that it was <em>exactly</em> who she needed to see in this moment.</p>
<p>"RON!" She gasped.</p>
<p>"OI!" Ron jumped, choking on his chip as he spun in his seat, his wand instantly drawn and pressed against her chest.</p>
<p>Elara shoved the wand aside and flung herself at him, sobbing into his chest and ignoring the confusion rolling off him in waves. Finally, after what felt like hours, he wrapped his arms around her and held her to him, squeezing her tightly.</p>
<p>"Ellie?" He asked, "Oh my… <em>Bloody hell</em>, Ellie, what are you doing here?!"</p>
<p>She couldn't answer, her breath coming in heavy sobs as her fingers twisted into the worn flannel he was wearing. He was confused and worried and terrified and he sat stoic beside her, his arms holding her to his chest as she continued to wet his clothes with tears.</p>
<p>It was too much. It was all <em>so much</em>. Ted was gone, killed. She had watched her uncle, a man she had gotten so close to in such a short amount of time, who had learned so much about her, who had asked questions no one but Harry cared to ask about her life, who had made her feel <em>safe</em> while they were on the run for their lives… He was <em>gone</em>. In the blink of an eye, two vicious words and a jet of green light, <em>gone</em>.</p>
<p>Finally, Elara calmed. Her sobs quieted to hiccups and sniffles as she rubbed at her raw, burning eyes. Ron handed her a paper napkin to wipe her face with and stared at her, his face torn somewhere between incredulous confusion and absolute concern.</p>
<p>The waitress stepped to the side of the table, looking down on them with surveying eyes. <em>Suspicion</em>. "Everything okay over here?" She asked, dropping the basked of chips on the table and a pint of cider in front of Elara.</p>
<p>"Yeah, we're all right. Thanks," Ron mumbled.</p>
<p>The waitresses eyes lingered on Elara for a long moment before she gave a slight shrug and turned around, heading back toward the swinging doors of what Elara thought must be the kitchen.</p>
<p>"Is Harry and Hermione with you?" Elara croaked out, the sinking feeling in her gut told her she already knew the answer to the question before she asked it.</p>
<p>Ron shook his head. <em>Guilt. Regret. Sadness.</em> "No,no. I'm erm… I'm alone."</p>
<p>Elara nodded, shifting in the seat and straightening her back against the booth. She reached for the basket of chips and pushed one into her mouth. Slowly, she chewed, staring at a small gouge in the wood of the table. It felt wrong to be sitting here with a pint of cider and a basket of chips. To be eating in a pub felt too normal for what had happened today.</p>
<p>She felt almost delirious. As if the months of hardly any sleep and lack of food had crashed down on her all at once. The anger and hurt from Fred, the understanding disappointment from George. The look of rage and terror from Tonks, of acceptance from Andy and Remus the night Elara and Ted left. The nightmares, the worry and fear for Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The sickening feeling of pushing her own <em>brother</em> from her head to focus on any other feeling but terror for him. The realizations about Snape and the things he told her, the look in Dumbledore's eye just before he died… It wasn't just the last few months on the run that was crashing over her. It was the last <em>two years</em>.</p>
<p>It took several minutes before she realized that Ron was talking to her, asking her a question she hadn't heard as her finger clutched the table, turning white. She felt his hand wrap around hers, loosening her grip on the table and slowly, Elara turned to look at him.</p>
<p>He looked exhausted. Dark purple rings under his eyes clashed against his pale, freckled face. His hair was dirty, sticking up in several directions in the back, his face and hands littered with an array of bruises, varying in shades of yellow, purple, and green. His bottom lip was split on one side, a fresh wound that looked as if it had happened earlier in the day.</p>
<p>"You look like shit," Elara whispered, putting no thought into the choice of words.</p>
<p>Because, really, what was the point? What did it matter if she used crass language or not? The world was collapsing around her, her uncle was dead and Harry was… <em>somewhere</em> and her brother was probably being tortured on a daily basis. Why did it matter what words she used? It seemed pretentious to worry about it anymore, it felt like it didn't fit her. As if the obsession of using better language was the last bit of her old self she was clinging to, and it had been dissolved by a snatcher with purple feathers in his hair and her wand in his hand.</p>
<p>Ron however, blanched at her use of a swear word and laughed, an almost too loud laugh. "Yeah," He said. "Yeah, I reckon I do. You're not looking much better though."</p>
<p>And suddenly, Elara was laughing as well. A loud, boisterous laugh that sounded foreign to her. A laugh that made her stomach ache and her sides burn as her lungs tried to reach for air. She could hear Ron beside her, cackling in his own fit of unhinged guffaws. She could see, through her clouded eyes, the patrons in the pub staring at them with distaste.</p>
<p>
  <em>Annoyance. Confusion. Irritation. Intrigue. Anger. Amusement.</em>
</p>
<p>The emotions of the muggles around her swam in and out of her focus as her laughter fell back into sobs and she fleetingly wondered if she had always been this barmy or if the events in the last two years had driven her to madness.</p>
<p>"We should go," Ron said, once they had finally calmed down. He wiped his face on the back of his hand, he had apparently been crying as well.</p>
<p>Elara nodded, adjusting the straps of her bag on her shoulders. "I have a tent," She whispered.</p>
<p>"I've got some muggle money," Ron answered. "It's Christmas Eve. Let's sleep in a bed, yeah?"</p>
<p>Elara crammed her hand into her pocket and pulled out the crinkled notes. "I do too," She handed Ron the wad of cash. "I don't know how any of it works, but here."</p>
<p>Ron's eyes went wide for a moment and pulled one of the notes marked with a 10 and laid it on the table, gently pushing her from the booth.</p>
<hr/>
<p>It didn't take long for them to find a seedy, muggle motel. A room they could afford with a shower and a bed. The rooms were in a building above a small shop that sold oddities, whatever that meant. Entering the room, Elara got the impression they were not in a decent part of town, not that it mattered.</p>
<p>The room was dank and could barely pass as clean. Ron wrinkled his nose as they looked around the room. He pulled his wand from his trousers and cast a <em>scourgify</em> over every surface and did it twice over the bed. It wasn't perfect, but at least they wouldn't catch a strange disease from touching the table tops.</p>
<p>Silence lingered over them. Elara knew they needed to talk, to discuss everything they had both been through. She knew Ron had questions, <em>she</em> had questions! But there seemed to be an unspoken agreement that it could wait a while. At least long enough for them to both shower and settle onto the single queen size mattress.</p>
<p>Elara sat against the headboard, her knees drawn up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs. She rested the top of her chin on her knees and looked at Ron. His hair was still wet, dripping onto the lumpy duvet as he sat across from her, one leg dangling off the side of the bed.</p>
<p>"Why aren't you with Harry?" Elara asked, "Did you get separated when I did, too?"</p>
<p><em>Guilt. Shame. Remorse.</em> Ron shook his head. "I left."</p>
<p>"You… left?" The words came out slow, drawing out every letter as she repeated them.</p>
<p>Ron sighed, "I fucked up. The minute I apparated away from camp I <em>knew</em> I fucked up. I went back, a few days later, tried to find them… They were gone already. Or had adjusted the wards, I don't really know. Either way, I couldn't find them."</p>
<p>"Where did you go?"</p>
<p>"Bill and Fleur's place, Shell Cottage," he said. "Left there a few days ago. Been on the run ever since."</p>
<p>"What happened before you left camp?" Elara asked, "Did you find anything? Did you destroy the locket?"</p>
<p>He shook his head, "No. The night I left, though, Hermione figured out why Dumbledore left Godric Gryffindor's sword to Harry."</p>
<p>Elara quirked an eyebrow at him, silently urging him to continue.</p>
<p>"Well, I don't really remember all of it," He admitted. "I was wearing the locket all day, and that thing makes you mental. But Hermione said something about it being Goblin made, and because Harry killed a Basilisk with it-</p>
<p>"Of course!" Elara said, shutting her eyes momentarily in anger at herself for missing it before. "I am <em>so</em> stupid! Basilisk venom! Harry destroyed the diary with it! Of <em>course</em> the sword would be full of the stuff! Merlin! How did we not think of that before?!"</p>
<p>"That seemed to be Hermione's sentiment, as well." Ron said, "Doesn't matter though. We still didn't have it. Dunno if they've found it or not."</p>
<p>A heavy silence lingered over them as Elara worked through the information in her mind, mentally kicking herself for not thinking to look into the sword and the reason why it had been left. They had all been so fixated on the items they had in hand, that the sword was rarely brought into conversation.</p>
<p>It was Goblin made, however, which meant if it was missing, there was a good chance a Goblin knew where it was… Which posed an entirely new set of problems. Goblins weren't exactly known for their generosity toward the Wizarding community. Not that it was unwarranted, but if it was Goblin possession, there was little they would be able to do to obtain it.</p>
<p>"What about you? What happened after you got separated?" Ron finally spoke, breaking Elara from her thoughts. "Merlin, we were worried. Thought maybe you'd been hurt."</p>
<p>Elara sighed and without a modicum of modesty, she pulled her jumper over her head and showed Ron the gnarled, mangled scar. "Splinched myself," She said.</p>
<p>Ron chuckled, pulling his own jumper over his head to reveal a nasty scar, though not as grotesque as her own. "Me too," He said.</p>
<p>They both pulled their jumpers back down and she sighed, clearing her throat as she told him the events that had taken place over the last few months. He cringed when she told him how she sewed her own arm back together, called her 'brilliant' when she explained the portkey. She talked about Fred and George and told Ron everything she knew about the remaining Order members, about his family and their safety.</p>
<p>They talked through the night, going over every single detail either of them could think to talk about. She cried again, as she told Ron what happened with Ted. His face fell, eyes wide as he listened, scooting closer to lean against the headboard and pull her into his side.</p>
<p>An hour of silence had passed, when the air was thick with the information they had talked about. Elara could see the exhaustion on Ron's face, the early morning light from the sun just beginning to break through the window, illuminating the dark room with a dusty, yellow glow.</p>
<p>Elara and Ron laid in the bed, facing one another, hands clasped together as they tried to comfort one another to sleep that never came.</p>
<p>"It's strange, isn't it?" Ron whispered, "Not knowing if they're okay."</p>
<p>She knew who he was talking about, she knew he was terrified for Hermione and Harry, too. "They're okay," Elara said. "I know they are. It's Harry and Hermione, they <em>have</em> to be okay."</p>
<p>Ron shook his head, half his face hidden by the pillow. "You don't understand," He said. "When you got separated from us, it <em>broke</em> something in him. In all of us, really. But for Harry… He's my best mate, my <em>brother</em>. I know him better than I know myself most of the time, Ellie. And I have never seen him like that before. Like he was <em>empty</em>."</p>
<p>Elara's chest ached at the words and she sighed, "I'm sorry."</p>
<p>Ron's brows furrowed together. "Sorry? What for?"</p>
<p>"For taking his focus away? For getting in the way of things and making a mess of everything?"</p>
<p>"No," Ron said, propping himself up on his elbow. "No. You misunderstand me."</p>
<p>"Ron…?"</p>
<p>He huffed and twisted his mouth to side, clearly trying to work through the thoughts in his head before speaking. "When you got separated, it hurt him. It hurt all of us, but Ellie, don't you see it? You aren't taking his focus away. You <em>are</em> his focus. He's hurt, scared because he doesn't know if you're okay. But he won't stop until he <em>knows</em> that you are."</p>
<p>"He'll burn the city to the ground," She whispered.</p>
<p>Ron nodded, "He isn't going to defeat you-know-who for vengeance or some skewed version of self-righteousness like everyone thinks. He's going to do it because it will give you your family back. It will make sure that <em>you</em> stay safe. The rest of the world doesn't matter anymore."</p>
<p>Elara's eyes burned again, the tears stinging her still-red eyes. "I love him, Ron. I really, <em>really</em> love him."</p>
<p>Ron's lips quirked up and he yawned, "I know," He said. "He knows it too."</p>
<hr/>
<p>Draco had been unprepared for his return to the Manor for the Christmas Holidays. When he had stepped through the threshold of the home he grew up in, heard the shrieking cackles of his insane aunt, he felt sick. Out of place. As if the structure he had known his entire life was completely foreign to him now.</p>
<p>And when he entered the Drawing Room to announce his arrival, his stomach lurched at the sight of Luna Lovegood on the floor. Writhing in pain as she bit through her lip, stifling the screams that Bellatrix was desperately trying to pull from her throat.</p>
<p>He couldn't move, he couldn't look away. And the only thought in his mind was <em>it's not Ginny. Thank Merlin, it's not Ginny.</em></p>
<p>"You print <em>lies</em>, slandering the Dark Lord!" Bellatrix screamed at Luna, practically foaming at the mouth. "You want to support Potter?! You see what your support gets you, you filthy blood-traitor!"</p>
<p>Luna held strong, stifling her pain, her impossibly enormous blue eyes shut tight. Draco was impressed at the strength of the small, almost fairy-like, girl on the floor. Before this year, he would have never expected her to be so strong, so resilient. He knew better now. Knew they had chosen the wrong girl to pluck from King's Cross. Luna would not break. Luna would not give them any information.</p>
<p>"Draco!"</p>
<p>Draco's head snapped up, Bellatrix's voice ringing in his ears as she snapped at him to get his attention. A sick, sharp-toothed smile pulled her chapped lips apart as a malicious glee fell onto her face.</p>
<p>"Aunt Bella," Draco drawled, pulling an eyebrow up his forehead. He adjusted the straps of his bag on his shoulder, gripping it tightly with one hand. "Where are my parents?"</p>
<p>"Cissy is in bed. Your father," She spat the word, as if it burned her mouth to say it. "Is in the Great Room with The Dark Lord."</p>
<p>Draco felt his head bob, watching as Bellatrix landed a swift kick to Luna's side. "Take her to the cellar, with the rest of them."</p>
<p>He waited until Bellatrix passed him, her long black cloak slapping against his ankles as she marched through the doorway. Her heeled boots echoing against the marble, fading into the west wing of the Manor. When he was sure she was gone, when there was no chance of anyone returning anytime soon, Draco raced to Luna's side.</p>
<p>Draco dropped to his knees and slid his hands under her back, pulling her up into a sitting position. He shrugged his bag off his shoulder, nearly busting the clasps with the rushed force of opening it. With nimble fingers, he felt for the phials within, pulling two small glass tubes from the depths and pulling the corks off of them.</p>
<p>"Lovegood, are you okay?" He whispered, realizing she still hadn't said anything yet.</p>
<p>Luna's head turned to the side, her eyes widening a fraction of an inch as if she had just realized he was there. The dreamy expression that usually donned her features was replaced with something darker, something haunting. "I've never been <em>crucioed</em> before," Her light voice said. "I don't think it's something I'd like to repeat."</p>
<p>Draco huffed a laugh, tipping the phials in quick succession, against her lips. "Swallow," He said. "I have to take you down there. You know that, don't you? I'm sorry, Lovegood, <em>fuck</em> I'm so sorry. But I- I have to."</p>
<p>Her small hand came up to rest against his cheek, a wistful smile on her lips. "As long as they have me, they don't have my father. I am okay with that knowledge."</p>
<p>"I'm sorry," He apologized again, over and over the words fell from his lips as he helped her to her feet. "I'm so sorry, Luna. <em>Fuck</em>. I don't know what to do. I don't know what else I can do. They'll kill me if they think I've defected. I can't… I'm sorry, Luna, I'm sorry…"</p>
<p>"I know you, Draco Malfoy." Luna's voice was incredibly soft, lyrical in the way she spoke. Unfitting for the state of her, bleeding and bruised, hair mussed and eyes swollen. "You're forgiven."</p>
<p>The next apology died in his throat as it clenched around the words. <em>Forgiven</em>.</p>
<p>He did not deserve her forgiveness, didn't deserve Ginny's or Neville's or even Blaise's. Draco clenched his jaw as he felt his stomach turn over again, his throat bobbing as he tried to swallow back everything bubbling inside of him. It was no longer just Ellie he had to do this for. It was all of them. All of the people he had wronged by fixing that <em>stupid fucking cabinet</em>. All of the people he had hurt and put in danger for something he <em>knew</em> he didn't believe in. For an ancient cause he was sure his parents didn't even believe any more.</p>
<p>When he opened the door to the dark, dank stairs that led into the cellar- the <em>dungeon</em>, he felt something twisting in his chest. Something that felt dangerously close to determination, a promise. A promise to himself, to Luna, and Neville, and Blaise, and Theo, and Pansy and even bloody Seamus. A promise to <em>Ginny</em>. To <em>Ellie</em>. He would take whatever punishment was given to him, take whatever torture or curses or kicks to the ribs… He would not be the reason Potter doesn't succeed. He would not stand-by and watch more people he knew, people he <em>cared</em> about, be hurt.</p>
<p>As Draco locked the cellar door behind him, making his way to his bedroom, he chose his side. Without the fear of death driving him, without the absolute disregard for his own life, without fear of his family and what may happen afterward.</p>
<p>But instead, with Ginny Weasley's words ringing in his ears, <em>"You aren't a villain.</em>"</p>
<p>.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Extra chapter to make up for killing Ted. It hurt me to do it, I swear. I'll be back sunday with a new chapter!<br/>Please remember to review!<br/>xo</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Chapter 28</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 28: Happy to See You</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>I Will Follow You into the Dark by Death Cab for Cutie</em>
</p><hr/><p>Elara's lungs were burning as she sprinted through Muggle London, Ron on her heels. She threw "excuse me!" and "sorry!" over her shoulder as she practically hurdled over people as they moved through a rather crowded outdoor display of fairy lights. The lights swirled in her vision, a blur of red, green, and gold as she whipped past them.</p><p>"I think we've lost them!" Ron shouted, "Let's go in here!"</p><p>Elara felt him grab her arm and pull her to the side, pushing through the door of a small, crowded pub. They shoved their way through the throng of people, finding a table in the back and sitting in the chairs, side by side, facing the door.</p><p>They both gathered their breath, Ron laughing a bit as he dug into the inside pocket of his flannel.</p><p>"They were <em>angry</em>!" Elara said, "What did you do?!"</p><p>Ron's face split into a grin as he pulled four wands from the inside pocket, "Was able to get these from them," he said. "Reckon they didn't appreciate that."</p><p>Elara's eyes went wide as they landed on the third wand in his grip. A 10 ¾ inch, springy, beech wood wand with a phoenix feather core. "My wand!" she gasped, "Ron! That's <em>my</em> wand!"</p><p>Her heart thundered in her chest with anticipation as she reached for it, her fingers brushing the ashy white wood and as she gripped the knobby handle, she sighed. <em>Home</em>. It felt like home, like a missing piece of her had been restored.</p><p>"I didn't think I'd see it again," Elara whispered. "Thought it was gone."</p><p>"Snatchers take the wands to the Ministry, only after they've pawned off what they can of them. With as many as that bloke had on him, I'd wager he was on his way to sell them on Knockturn Alley."</p><p>"Was it Scabior?" she asked, "I didn't see his face. I just heard you yell 'snatchers' and started running."</p><p>Ron shook his head, "No. I hadn't seen this one before. Big bloke, smelled like he was half troll."</p><p>"We're running out of money," Elara said, pulling the small amount of notes from her pocket. "Staying in that motel drained us."</p><p>"Aren't you a witch?" Ron laughed, tapping his own wand to the notes and looking around to make sure no one was watching them. "<em>Gemino</em>."</p><p>Elara's mouth dropped open as the bills multiplied. "Ron!" she scolded, "That's completely unethical!"</p><p>Ron shrugged, tucking his wand as well as the others, back into his pocket. "Maybe," he said. "But it's kept us fed and put us in a motel for the last week. Bill showed me how to use it, said it would work on muggle money because they use paper."</p><p>Admittedly, Elara felt wrong using money that had been multiplied, knowing that not only was it unethical, but it was probably illegal to use counterfeit notes. She began telling Ron the consequences of muggle crimes and explaining the process of muggle prison to him, all things she had learned while watching the telly at Hermione's house.</p><p>"You can say all you want about it El, you're still eating the chips and drinking the cider," Ron said, laughing as she glared at him, a chip halfway to her mouth.</p><p>"Yes, well, we haven't exactly eaten much the last couple of days and-</p><p>"<em>Ron…</em>"</p><p>Elara's mouth snapped shut as her brows furrowed together. Ron choked on his cider and began sputtering, his face going red as he tried to quiet the coughs.</p><p>"Did you hear that?" He choked out.</p><p>"Yes!" Elara said, "Yes, I did."</p><p>"Am I barmy or did it sound like-</p><p>"<em>If Ron and Ellie were here…</em>"</p><p>"Hermione," they breathed the name in unison.</p><p>"It's coming from my pocket!" Ron said, pulling his flannel away from his chest, "Listen!"</p><p>"<em>Ron…"</em></p><p>"What is in your pocket, Ron? Empty them! Hurry!" Elara said.</p><p>Ron quickly emptied his chest pocket, pulling out a small wad of muggle money, a few knuts, and his deluminator. Elara grabbed the silver piece and held it in her palm, staring down at it, willing it to do something.</p><p>"It just turns out lights, Ellie. I don't think-</p><p>He was interrupted, the sound of Hermione's voice coming from the silver tube. Elara looked up from her palm, staring at Ron with wide eyes. "What do we do?"</p><p>Ron immediately grabbed Elara's wrist and pulled her from the table, pushing past the patrons that crowded the pub. They shoved their way outside and rounded the building, walking into the alley behind it and standing behind a large, metal rubbish bin that smelled sour.</p><p>"Let me see it," Ron said. "I- I think I know what to do."</p><p>Elara handed him the Deluminator and watched as he pressed the small button on the side, causing the surrounding lights to disappear, as if sucked into the tube. He clicked it again, and the lights returned, but instead of moving back to their abandoned lamp posts and strings of fairy lights, they hovered in front of them. The ball of light shrank away, leaving behind a small, glowing blue sphere.</p><p>"That almost looks like the light around a Portkey," Elara said, pulling her eyes from the glowing ball and looking at Ron.</p><p>"Do we… Do we touch it?" Ron asked.</p><p>Elara shrugged, "I have no idea."</p><p>They stared at the ball of light in confusion as it began to move toward them. Elara felt her breaths become shallow, nerve-wracked as Ron twisted his fingers into hers, interlocking their hands together. The light hit Ron, seeping into his chest.</p><p>"What on <em>earth</em>-</p><p>"I know where to go," Ron said, his eyebrows shooting into his hairline as he turned his face toward Elara and pulled her closer to his side. "I know where they are!"</p><p>Before Elara could question it, before she could try to make sense of the words he said or the situation at hand, Ron apparated them both away from the dark alley of Muggle London.</p><hr/><p>Their feet hit the frozen ground beneath them hard and Elara stumbled, falling onto her hands and knees and huffing an irritated breath through her mouth. "It's etiquette to let a witch <em>know</em> when you're going to apparate them a long distance, Ronald!"</p><p>Ron bent over, grabbing her elbow and helping her to her feet. "Sorry," he said. "I didn't know it was going to apparate us halfway across the country."</p><p>Elara dusted off her knees and looked around, trying to pinpoint where they were at. It was dark, and wooded, and there was no sign of anyone nearby. Her heart sank into her chest. Another puzzle piece to work into the picture that she couldn't see full frame. <em>Great</em>.</p><p>"Where are we?" Ron asked.</p><p>"You're the one who apparated us!" Elara huffed, "What do you mean 'where are we'?! You don't know where you brought us? It's a wonder neither of us got splinched… <em>again</em>."</p><p>"The light just told me where to go. I could <em>feel</em> it. I just… I don't know. It sounds mental to say it out loud.." Ron trailed off, looking at Elara with wide eyes, his mouth twisted to the side.</p><p><em>Confusion. Uncertainty. Fear. Disappointment</em>.</p><p>Elara sighed, adjusting the straps of her bag on her shoulders and taking Ron's hand again. "If it brought us here, there has to be a reason, right? Maybe they're nearby."</p><p>"Should we set up camp?" Ron asked, "Or do you think we could…" His brows furrowed together as he looked past her, his mouth falling slightly open. He pointed his index finger of the hand not wrapped around her own and gasped. "Look! Ellie, it's a patronus!"</p><p>She spun around, her eyes scanning the woods and landing on a silvery doe that was trotting through a thick of trees. "What?" she breathed.</p><p>"It's Harry!" Ron said, yanking her arm as he took off running toward the patronus, "Ellie! It's Harry!"</p><p>"Ron, wait!" Elara said, digging her heels into the ground and trying to slow him. "That's a <em>doe</em> not a stag! That isn't Harry."</p><p>"Well, it's got to be <em>someone</em>!" He said, pulling her alongside him. "Death Eaters can't conjure a corporeal patronus, you've said so yourself!"</p><p>"Ron, <em>I</em> conjured a patronus! Obviously, I was wrong about that! It could be anyone and-</p><p>Ron turned, his jaw set tight and his forehead creased. "If you want to stay here and let me go check it out myself, fine. But I need to see who casted it. If it's even a <em>chance</em> that it's someone we know, Ellie! There's a reason that light brought us here. I know it!"</p><p>Elara groaned, her resolve slipping at the determination in Ron's voice. "Fine," she breathed. "Fine. Yes, okay. Let's go. If it's a snatcher… It's not like we haven't been outrunning them for days, anyway."</p><p>Ron's face split into a toothy grin, "That's the spirit!"</p><p>Quickly, Ron and Elara closed the distance between the patronus and where they had landed in the woods. She realized it was leading them to a small pond and as she squinted across it, her eyes landing on the bank, she saw a pile of fabric. She slowed her pace, tilting her head to the side as she studied it, the patronus dissipating.</p><p>Just as Elara opened her mouth to point the fabric pile out to Ron, she felt it. <em>Fear. Confusion. Inquiry. Determination. </em>She gasped, nearly doubling over. "It's Harry!" she said, her voice frantic as the fear she was feeling began to consume her. "It's Harry! Ron, I can feel him! I can feel him! It's Harry!"</p><p>"Where is he?!" Ron said, spinning around to search the area, "I don't see him!"</p><p>Elara pointed to the pond, "Ron! He's <em>dying</em>! I can feel it!"</p><p>They sprinted across the remaining stretch of land between them and the small pond. Elara fell to her knees beside the pile of clothes and felt the tears spring into her eyes. She saw the crack in the ice, where Harry must have fallen through and- <em>there</em> at the bottom, glinting silver and ruby red...</p><p>"We have to do something!" she cried, staring into the icy water. She could see Harry, trapped under the thick ice and struggling against something, his hands hitting the iced over surface, trying to break free. "Ron! I can't swim! I can't get him out, I don't know how to swim!"</p><p>In the blink of an eye and a blur of red hair and flannel, Ron waved his wand over the ice, cracking through the entire surface and dove in, head first. Elara yelped, sticking her arms into the icy depths to grab onto Harry as Ron pushed him to the surface. Elara hooked her hands under his arms and pulled him onto the bank, her heels dug into the frozen ground as she fell backwards. Harry rolled to the side, sputtering and coughing up water onto the ground. His skin was tinged blue and completely covered in goose flesh and his lips were purple.</p><p>She steeled herself, returning her focus to the pond and launched forward, on to her knees to lean over and grasp Ron's hand. As his right hand swung out of the water, she could see that it was wrapped around the ruby encrusted hilt of Godric Gryffindor's Sword.</p><p>"The sword was at the bottom of the pond," Ron said. Huffing as he used Elara's outstretched hand to help hoist himself out of the water. "He jumped in with the horcrux on his neck! The bloody thing tried to kill him!"</p><p>"Ron?" Harry's voice croaked. He coughed a few more times "<em>Accio </em>glasses. Ron, is that you?"</p><p>Harry's glasses flew into his hand and he shoved them onto his face. He stood from his place on the ground and summoned his clothes to him, quickly pulling his baggy jeans on over his legs and slipping back into his jumper.</p><p>"Yeah, mate. Me and-</p><p>"<em>Ellie!" </em>Harry's voice came in a shuddering breath as his eyes landed on her.</p><p>Elara stared at him, her eyes glued to his face and her feet cemented to the ground. She wanted to run to him, to cry, to shout in elation at the sight of him. But she couldn't move, she couldn't <em>breathe</em>. It took four beats of her heart, four beats that felt like an eternity stretching over her, before she blinked.</p><p>Finally, it was as if her body woke up from the frozen statue it had become and she was closing the distance between them. Harry's arms were wrapped around her and she felt him lift her from the ground, her legs locking around his waist as she tried to get as close to him as she could. His arms squeezed around her, pushing the air from her lungs and their lips collided in a hard, desperate kiss. Teeth and lips gnashing together as hot tears cut lines into her frigid face.</p><p>Elara's hands twisted into Harry's hair, pulling him painfully close to her. His skin was ice-cold, still soaked from the freezing water and her clothes were wet from pulling him out, but she didn't care. She <em>couldn't</em> care. The only thing that mattered right now was Harry. He was here, alive, and breathing into her mouth with treacle and chocolate flavored kisses.</p><p>Ron made a coughing sound from somewhere behind them and Elara chuckled into Harry's mouth.</p><p>"I don't want to be that guy, but do you think you could hold off on the shagging until we get back to camp?" Ron asked.</p><p>Elara slowly untangled her legs from around Harry's waist, and dropped back to the ground, her knees feeling weak and her chest full. "Sorry, Ron," she said, feeling her face grow warm with embarrassment. "I couldn't help it."</p><p>Ron shifted his weight from foot to foot, a lopsided smile pulling at his face. "I know."</p><p>Harry leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on her lips before turning away and smacking into Ron, embracing him nearly as tightly as he had Elara. "I knew you'd come back," Harry said. "I knew it."</p><p>"I'm sorry I left, mate." Ron began, "I swear I tried to find you guys. I went back to the camp, I went everywhere else I could think of. I <em>tried</em>. I tried to find you. I regretted it the minute I left, the minute I-</p><p>"It's fine, Ron. Really. It's okay, I forgive you."</p><p>"You do?"</p><p>Harry nodded, "You just saved my life, mate." Harry pulled the horcrux off from around his neck and held it out to Ron. "Let's get rid of it, yeah?"</p><p>Ron nodded and Elara moved forward, watching as Harry placed it on a flat stone. Ron held the sword out to Harry, "Here."</p><p>Harry shook his head, crouch on the ground next to the locket. "No," he said. "You should do it."</p><p>"Me?" Ron asked.</p><p>Harry nodded, "You just saved my <em>life</em>, Ron. You deserve to kill the thing, you should be the one to do it."</p><p>Elara could see Ron's throat bob as he swallowed and could feel his hesitation. He slowly nodded, taking a few steps closer to the locket. "Yeah, okay then."</p><p>"If it's anything like Riddle's diary," Harry said. "It's going to put up a fight. Don't let it get into your head. Just stab it. I'm going to open it with parseltongue..."</p><p>Ron took a deep breath and nodded.</p><p>Harry carefully leaned over the locket, whispering words that sounded like garbled hisses and falling backward as it fell open. Elara looked away from the nearly blinding light as it exploded from the locket, twisting and turning around them before steadying itself in front of Ron. A voice spoke, deep and haunting.</p><p>"<em>I have seen your heart and it is mine…"</em></p><p>"Don't listen to it, Ron! Just stab it!" Harry shouted.</p><p>"<em>I know your dreams, Ronald Weasley, and I have seen your fears. All you desire is possible, but all that you dread is also possible…"</em></p><p>"RON! KILL IT!" Harry yelled, "STAB IT, NOW!"</p><p>"<em>Least loved, always, by a mother who craved a daughter… Second best, always, eternally overshadowed…"</em></p><p>Elara's knees buckled as the terror pouring out of Ron and Harry consumed her. She felt her knees hit the hard ground, she looked up at the scene unfolding, her eyes glued to the strange caricature of Harry and Hermione that appeared from the locket. Ron seemed mesmerized, completely drawn in to the grotesque figures.</p><p>A warped version of Harry's voice echoed around them, <em>"Why return? We were better without you, happier without you. Glad of your absence. We laughed at your stupidity, at your cowardice…"</em></p><p>Finally, Elara found her voice, bellowing over the perverted words flowing from the locket. "RON! DON'T LISTEN TO IT! YOU KNOW IT ISN'T TRUE! YOU KNOW IT'S LYING! STAB IT!"</p><p>"<em>...Your mother confessed she would prefer me as a son... "</em></p><p>"<em>...What woman would prefer you?"</em></p><p>"RON!" Harry and Elara roared in unison.</p><p>Finally, as if the hypnotic trance the locket had placed Ron under had been lifted, he gave a small shake of his head and swung the sword high above him. Harry dove out of the way as the sword crashed down onto the locket. Elara scrambled to her feet, her wand gripped tightly in her hand as a deafening drawn-out scream pierced the air around them. In a swirl of golden light that turned to black smoke, the strange figures were gone and the locket lay, shattered on the rock.</p><p>Harry's eyes found Elara's, lingering on her gaze for a brief moment before falling to Ron. "You okay, mate?" he asked.</p><p>Ron took several deep breaths and fell to his knees, burying his head in his hands, his shoulders shaking. Elara moved to his side, crouching beside him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders.</p><p>"After you left," Harry's voice came from above them. "We were miserable. Hermione cried for a week straight. It was my fault, I may as well have pushed you out the door. I'm the one who punched you, who yelled at you-</p><p>"You hit him?" Elara asked, looking up from where she knelt next to Ron. "Harry-</p><p>Ron dropped his hands from his face and looked at Ellie, "I hit him too. I provoked him, started talking about you and told him it was his fault you were gone. I deserved the punch." Ron looked up at Harry. "I'm so sorry, mate. I really am. I was such a- a…"</p><p>"Me too," Harry said. "Besides, you made up for it tonight, I reckon. Getting the sword, destroying the horcrux, saving my life."</p><p>"Sounds a lot cooler when you say it like that." Ron said, standing up and pushing a hand through his hair.</p><p>"It always does when someone else says it. Been trying to tell you that for years," Harry said, a smirk on his lips.</p><p>"Harry?" Elara said, looking around where they stood for the first time since pulling him from the pond. "Where's Hermione?"</p><p>"Back at camp."</p><hr/><p>The walk back to where Harry and Hermione had set up the wards and tent wasn't a long one. Harry's right hand was wrapped around Elara's and his left was on Ron's shoulder, clutching to the sopping wet fabric of his flannel as they searched for the camp. They shared only a few words, electing to walk in quiet as they all tried to process everything they had just seen.</p><p>When they found the camp and entered the tent, the warmth that flowed through Elara was almost painful against her frozen skin. Elara's eyes landed on Hermione, sleeping on a cot in the corner, a book on her chest and her arm dangling over the side.</p><p>"Hermione," Harry said, calling her name to wake her. "Hermione! Wake up!"</p><p>"Harry?" she said, sitting up on her cot and rubbing her eyes, blinking heavily. "Harry, what is it? Is everything okay?"</p><p>"Better than okay!" Harry said, a beaming smile splitting his face. "Look!"</p><p>Hermione's eyes seemed to finally focus and they instantly landed on Elara. Elara smiled, her chest swelling at the sight of her friend. Hermione jumped out of bed, kicking the blanket that was tangled around her legs to the ground and smacked into Elara. Elara began to cry the moment she heard Hermione sniffle.</p><p>"You're okay!" Hermione said, "How did you find us? We heard your message on Potter Watch! What happened to you? Were you hurt? I couldn't tell by the-</p><p>"Hermione, I'm fine, I'm fine!" Elara laughed, squeezing her tightly. "And you? You're okay?"</p><p>Hermione's curls brushed the side of Elara's face as she nodded. "Yes, yes!"</p><p>They pulled apart from one another and Hermione took a step back. Elara shifted to the side and motioned toward Ron. "I'm not the only one who is here, you know."</p><p>Elara wasn't sure if she expected Hermione to run for Ron the way she had run to Harry, but she certainly did not expect the look of fury that flashed across Hermione's face and the anger that pulsed into her.</p><p>"Ron?"</p><p>"Hey, 'Mione." Ron said, a small smile on his face as he lifted a hand to give a little wave.</p><p>"Hey?" Hermione tilted her head, her jaw clenched tight. "<em>Hey</em>?" Hermione charged at Ron and began slapping him furiously, smacking every bit of him that she could reach. "You left! You're gone for <em>weeks</em> and all you can say is<em> hey</em>?!"</p><p>"Ow- Mione! Ow! Stop hitting me!" Ron said, flinching with every smack.</p><p>"You <em>absolute arse</em>!"</p><p>"Hermione!" Elara said, her eyebrows high on her forehead.</p><p>"You just walk in here like nothing happened!" Hermione punctuated every word with a slap to Ron. She turned on her heel and looked at Harry. "Where's my wand?"</p><p>"I-I don't-</p><p>"Harry, give me my wand!" Hermione said.</p><p>"Why do you have Hermione's wand?" Elara asked.</p><p>"Mine got broken," Harry said, backing away from Hermione. "Hermione, stop!"</p><p>"I will not stop! <em>Give me back my wand!</em>" Hermione hissed.</p><p>She began swatting at Harry and he looked to Elara for help. Elara chuckled, let Hermione get another slap in and then cast a shield charm between them. Hermione stumbled backward, her legs catching on a chair and sending her to the floor. She jumped to her feet, spitting the hair from her mouth and cast a furious glare at Elara.</p><p>"Just calm-</p><p>"Harry, don't say it!" Elara warned.</p><p>"...down, Hermione!"</p><p>"I WILL NOT CALM DOWN!" Hermione shouted, stomping toward Harry. "Don't you <em>dare</em> tell me to calm down, Harry James Potter! He <em>left us</em>!" She threw her arm behind her, pointing to Ron. "He <em>left</em>!"</p><p>"Hermione, I-</p><p>She spun around and faced Ron, who suddenly looked terrified that he would be hit again. "I went after you! I searched for you and <em>tried</em> to find you! And you <em>left</em>. You <em>arsehole</em>! I cried! For <em>days</em> I cried because I was so worried about what would happen to you and you just <em>waltz back</em> in here?!"</p><p>"I'm sorry!" Ron said, "Hermione, I'm <em>sorry</em>. I-</p><p>"He destroyed the locket, Hermione." Harry said, tossing the shattered locket to her. "He saved my life, cut him some slack."</p><p>Her next words seemed to be caught in her throat as she stared at the locket in her hand. "What… What happened?"</p><p>The four of them sat at the small table and began to explain what happened. Ron and Elara telling Harry and Hermione about the deluminator and the strange ball of light that told Ron where to apparate. Harry told them about the patronus, receiving a scolding from Hermione for leaving the wards, which then broke out into a small argument because had he not left the wards, Ron and Elara would have never found him and they wouldn't have the sword.</p><p>Hermione explained everything they had learned while separated from Ron and Elara, and brought out a few scrolls of parchment with notes scribbled into them about places they should look at next. She told them about Godric's Hollow, and what had happened to Harry there. How his wand was broken, completely by accident, and how they hadn't gotten any real information.</p><p>They spent the better part of the early morning hours talking and going over everything that they had all experienced while being separated from one another. Finally, just as the sun was beginning to break through the inky black sky, painting the tent in a soft orange glow, Hermione agreed to take watch first and headed out the front of the tent. Ron followed, whispering a "maybe she'll finally talk to me" on his way out.</p><p>The silence that fell between Harry and Elara was thick. It had been an emotional night, for everyone, which left Elara feeling drained. She yawned, her eyes feeling heavy as she slowly pulled herself up from the table they had been sitting at. Harry stood, walking around the table and taking her hand, leading her to the bunk beds that were pushed against the far side of the tent.</p><p>"You need to sleep," Harry said. "You look exhausted."</p><p>"You don't look much better," Elara said, slipping her boots off and sitting on the edge of the bottom bunk.</p><p>Harry laughed, "I imagine that's true. I haven't slept a full night in… I honestly don't know how long it's been."</p><p>Elara pulled her knapsack from her shoulders and dug through it, pulling out the red pajama bottoms with little swirling snitches on them that she took from Fred and the matching tee shirt that was far too big on her. She peeled her jumper off and before she could slip the tee shirt over her head she heard Harry's sharp intake of breath.</p><p>"What?" She asked, looking at him, the cotton tee shirt in one hand and her jumper in the other.</p><p>"You said you were splinched," He whispered, stepping closer to her and slowly bringing his hand out to ghost against the twisted, purple scars. "You didn't say how bad it was. El, this looks…" He trailed off.</p><p>"I know it looks awful," Elara said. "But I had to sew my arm back together myself and it wasn't exactly easy."</p><p>"You...You did <em>what</em>?"</p><p>Elara sighed, motioning to the broken clasp on her bag. "I broke the clasp off my knapsack, made a needle out of it and sewed my arm back together," she stated, the tone bored and matter-of-fact. "It got infected, Fred and George healed it for me. But the scarring isn't going to fade, at least not anytime soon."</p><p>"I don't care about the scarring," Harry said. "I care about the fact that you were horribly splinched, by yourself. That you had to stitch your own arm back together, on your own."</p><p>She could feel the anger beginning to flood him and she pulled away from his touch, pulling her shirt over her head and shoving her jeans off to pull on the pajama bottoms. She felt irritated. Annoyed, that Harry was angry with her. That she hadn't seen him in <em>months</em> and he was using this small amount of alone time to scold her.</p><p>"It's been a long night, Harry. Can we please just get some sleep, and you can yell at me about it in the morning?"</p><p>His brows pulled together and he took a step back. She could see the muscle in his jaw twitch as he clenched his teeth, his arms folding over his chest. "I'm not yelling at you about getting splinched. I just want to know <em>why.</em> Why did you let go? Why did you leave us- leave <em>me</em>?"</p><p>Elara stood from the bed and heaved a deep breath, shoving her hands through her hair and pulling it into an elastic. "He had hold of me, and I couldn't shake him loose. He had already seen Grimmauld Place, and I didn't want him to follow to camp."</p><p>"There were four of us, Ellie! We could have taken him on!"</p><p>"I know that!" She snapped, "But the risk of him calling you-know-who to the campsite outweighed the logic! I was <em>afraid</em> that he would call for him and then we'd all be caught! It was the only thing I could think to do right then!"</p><p>"You let go of me! I was a mess! I was terrified that something had happened to you and I-</p><p>"It isn't about you, Harry!" She shouted, "It isn't about you! I'm sorry you were upset, but I knew you had Hermione and Ron with you! I knew you would be <em>fine</em> without me! But if you-know-who was called and we were all captured-" She motioned to the opening of the tent, waving her arm frantically. "They would have been killed! <em>You</em> would have been killed and I would be a pawn used to do whatever he wants! So, I <em>had</em> to let go! I had to make a decision! And I'm <em>sorry</em>, I'm so <em>fucking</em> sorry that you were left without me, but I couldn't risk you getting killed because <em>I</em> was the one he grabbed hold of!"</p><p>Harry stood in silence, staring at her with his mouth slightly open, trying to process her outburst. She could feel him working through it, could feel him trying to bury his own anger. Her chest heaved angry puffs of breath as she tried to calm herself but it was as if she had opened a gate and all of the fear and anger she had felt in the last months were flowing freely from her.</p><p>"Too many people are dead because of me!" She cried, angrily swiping the tears from her cheeks. "Too many people are being hurt because of <em>me</em>! Mad-Eye, Ted… They're both <em>dead</em> because I couldn't do anything fast enough! Fred and George's shop is destroyed now, by the way. I saw it in Diagon Alley when I was there with Ted! Weeks after I had stayed there, do you think that's a coincidence? Blaise's mum was <em>tortured</em> because of me, Harry! And Draco! Merlin, Draco has probably been <em>crucioed</em> a thousand times over by now! It isn't just about you, Harry!"</p><p>"It isn't about <em>you</em> either!" Harry said, his tone deceptively even for the rage boiling beneath his skin. "The war, the killings! None of it would be happening if it weren't for <em>me</em>! He wants me <em>dead</em>, Ellie! I'm the <em>only</em> one who can kill him, don't you understand that?! 'Neither can live while the other survives', it <em>has to be me</em>! Do you think that I don't know the people who have died?! The people who have risked their fucking lives to keep me safe? Do you think you're the only one who has something to worry about? You would be safe if it weren't for me!"</p><p>"I would be trapped in the Manor!"</p><p>"Good!" Harry shouted, "At least then you wouldn't be here! You wouldn't be getting splinched and watching people get killed! You would have had your parents to protect you! Your bloody brother, to make sure You-Know-Who didn't hurt you!"</p><p>"You would rather I be there? Being used against the Order? Against <em>you</em>? You would rather me be a Death Eater?"</p><p>"At least I would have known what to expect! You're a <em>Malfoy</em>! I would have expected it!" Harry said, moving to sit on the edge of the bunk. He dug his elbows into his knees and hung his face in his hands.</p><p>Elara felt the air rush from her as his words settled over her, "I thought we were past that." She whispered. "You <em>said</em> you were past my name."</p><p>Harry threw his hands in the air before bringing them down to scrub at his face. "I am!" He said, "I am! I just… Elara, I was <em>terrified</em> that something had happened to you. This is all my fault! Everything! If I would have just left you alone when you broke things off, if I would have just let you go, you wouldn't have followed me into this! You would be <em>safe</em>."</p><p>She regarded him for a moment, clicking her tongue in her mouth and sucking at her teeth. "If you think that's true, then you are <em>very </em>stupid, Harry Potter."</p><p>"Excuse me?"</p><p>She crossed the space between them, sitting down on the bunk next to Harry, she pulled one leg up, folded under her and turned to look at him. "Harry, I want to make something extremely clear to you. Under no circumstances, would I have been <em>safer</em> at the Manor. My brain would be a mound of porridge right now, mush in the hands of the Dark Lord. He would have weaponized me by now, tortured me until I couldn't say my own name, if it meant he could use my abilities to bring pain on to others. I wouldn't have been given a choice. My choice would have been to do what he wanted, or suffer, and do it anyway."</p><p>"But-</p><p>"No." she said, "No buts. It doesn't matter that my parents are there, that Draco is there. They know what would happen to them if they tried to protect me, so they would step aside. That's why I followed you, Harry. That's why I chose you. Because <em>every</em> time you proved that it didn't matter what would happen to you. You would never step aside."</p><p>Harry remained quiet, his eyes on her face, roaming the slope of her nose and the peaks of her cheekbones. Searching for something, searching for regret on her features. Regret that she would <em>never</em> feel.</p><p>"Harry, I will follow you into the dark and through the flames. If I have to burn or drown to walk with you, I would choose to over and over and over. Don't you understand? When I tried to distance myself from you, it wasn't because of <em>you</em>. It was because of me. Because I know what you have to do, I know the weight that is on your shoulders and I didn't want to be one more burden for you to carry."</p><p>"You aren't a burden," He murmured. "You could never be a burden to me."</p><p>A humorless laugh pushed past her lips as she looked away from him, shaking her head. "I'm the reason Death Eaters took over Hogwarts, Harry. Or did you forget that I came up with the formula to get the cabinet working again? I have done nothing but create a mess since I stepped through the castle doors and into the Great Hall."</p><p>"You don't get to do this," Harry said. "You don't get to sit here and feel sorry for yourself and blame yourself." His hand curled under her chin, turning her head to look at him. "You don't get to tell me that you choose me, but that I can't choose you. I'm the one who gets to decide what is too much for me to handle, and Ellie, you're not a burden to me."</p><p>Elara could feel the tears escaping her eyes, the cloudiness in her vision clearing as they fell down her cheeks. The pads of Harry's thumbs rested below her eyes, swiping them away. He pulled her into him and pressed his lips to her forehead, wrapping his arms around her.</p><p>"You said that you chose me," Harry said. "But I chose you, too. And that means I'm gonna be upset when you put yourself in danger for me. And I'm gonna be a little cross with you for it, but it's because I never feel fear the way that I do when it comes to you."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you liked this chapter! Please remember to review! :)<br/>Join my fb group! Mimifreed Writing</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Chapter 29</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 29: Puzzle Pieces</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Feelings are Fatal by mxmtoon</em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>Draco sat on his bed, his legs folded beneath him as he stared into the palm of his hand. The sickle felt cool against his skin, and the chain was light, dainty almost in the way it hung over the back of his hand. It had been found by snatchers in the woods a few kilometers away from the Manor. When their pockets had been emptied by Bellatrix, who was currently in the Drawing Room torturing the men, she had thrown it to the side, no care for a lonely sickle on a chain.</p>
<p>Draco had quickly picked it up, shoving it into his pocket before making his way up the stairs and locking himself into his room. It was odd, he thought, to find a sickle on a chain. Why would someone keep a sickle as a bracelet? And so close to the Manor, no less? He got up from the mattress and pulled open the drawer of his bedside table, digging through it to remove a Galleon from its depths. A Galleon that he had not felt grow warm in a year.</p>
<p>He had never used it, not since Elara gave it to him and showed him how it worked. He had received messages on it from Granger, when Elara hadn't sent any of the Gryffindors anything over the last Christmas break. When she had been marked and reduced to spending weeks locked in her own head.</p>
<p>
  <em>Does this thing even still work?<br/>DM</em>
</p>
<p>He sent the message to Blaise, knowing he, too, had a matching Galleon. He stared at it, shaking his head with doubt. It was a Galleon, the charm had probably worn off by now and-</p>
<p>
  <em>Hey mate, you all right?<br/>BZ</em>
</p>
<p>Draco stared at the coin, watching the tiny letters appear on the surface. His eyes grew wide and he instantly sent the message back.</p>
<p>
  <em>I'm coming over.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>DM</em>
</p>
<p>He pocketed the Galleon and the Sickle and grabbed his wand and cloak. He made his way into the sitting room and headed straight for the fireplace.</p>
<p>"Draco, where are you going?" His father's voice came from the doorway as Draco's hand dipped into the bowl that held Floo Powder on the mantle.</p>
<p>"Blaise's house," he answered. "Or am I not allowed to leave while I'm here?"</p>
<p>"Mind your tone, boy." Lucius warned, "You'll return tonight."</p>
<p>Draco nodded, "I won't be long."</p>
<p>"See to it that you aren't," he said. "The Dark Lord will be returning soon."</p>
<p>Draco clenched his jaw at the mention and gave a sharp nod, throwing the powder into the grate. He stepped in and called "Zabini London Residence" and watched his father fade away in a swirl of green light.</p>
<p>When he stepped out of the fireplace and onto the dark, wooden floors of the London home, Emiliana Zabini looked up at him from the sofa she was perched on, a glass of wine in her hand.</p>
<p>"Draco," she said, smiling softly at him. "It's good to see you."</p>
<p>"Thank you, Ms. Zabini. It's good to see you as well."</p>
<p>"Blaise is in the kitchen, I believe." she said, swirling her wine in the glass before taking a long sip.</p>
<p>Draco nodded and began to walk through the sitting room to the back of the large London townhouse but stopped when he felt Emiliana's fingers clasp around his wrist. He turned to look at her over his shoulder and her face was stern, severe, as her eyes scanned over him, regarding him a moment before she stepped back.</p>
<p>"Draco," she began. "I need to say something to you, something I very much doubt you will ever hear from your own parents."</p>
<p>Draco felt his right eyebrow pull up on his forehead as he looked at her. He had always held Emiliana Zabini in high respect. As a child, she was his first crush, the first woman he could remember looking at and thinking she was beautiful. Tall and curvy with long legs and an almost avian neck. Her skin the color of milk chocolate and dark eyes that slanted slightly across her face. Her hair always fell down her back in perfectly sculpted waves and she never failed to lend him a smile when he had needed it. As he got older, Draco respected her for different reasons. The way she fiercely loved her son and made sure he knew it, never shy with affection like his own parents were. Even publicly, Emiliana would dote and fawn over Blaise, practically showing him off to anyone who would look. Draco envied that.</p>
<p>"Ms. Zabini?" he asked.</p>
<p>"Draco, you know not to call me that." she smiled, "Blaise has been open about what he has been a part of while at Hogwarts, this term. You know my affiliation, you know I'd prefer to stay out of it- that <em>Blaise</em> stay out of it. I do not wish to involve myself or my son in the matters of British Wizarding politics."</p>
<p>Draco nodded, "I'm aware Ms. Za- <em>Emiliana</em>."</p>
<p>"You also are aware that I know you've taken that dreadful brand." it was not a question, "However, Blaise has informed me that you are taking part of this… <em>esercito di resistenza.</em>"</p>
<p>Draco shifted his weight from foot to foot, his jaw tightening. His Italian wasn't very strong, but he knew enough to know she said 'resistance.' He waited for a scolding, waited for her to scream at him for getting her son involved, for pulling Blaise under with him to drown.</p>
<p>Instead, a small hand cupped his cheek and her expression softened. "Sono così orgoglioso di te," she whispered. "I am <em>so</em> very proud of you, il mio amore."</p>
<p>She pulled his face down to hers and pressed her lips to his forehead, when she pulled away from him, her eyes were bright with tears and Draco saw pride on her face. His chest felt tight, as her hands caressed his face, the pads of her thumbs rubbing gently under his eyes, swiping away tears he hadn't even felt fall.</p>
<p>"It is never too late to do the wrong thing, Draco. You will make your sister proud, wherever she is. And you have made me proud."</p>
<p>Draco nodded, his mouth empty of any meaningful words. "Thank you," he rasped.</p>
<p>Emiliana smiled at him and turned away, stepping back to the sofa and sipping her wine as if she had never even got up from the spot in the first place. Draco drew in a deep breath and swiped at his eyes with the back of his hand before continuing into the kitchen.</p>
<p>Blaise was sitting on one of the tall chairs that lined the modern breakfast bar in the center of the kitchen. He had a bottle of the italian soda he liked in his hand and a plate with crisps and a half eaten sandwich in front of him. Draco sat in the chair next to him and stole a crisp from his plate, popping it into his mouth.</p>
<p>"I can get you some of your own," Blaise said,narrowing his eyes at him and swatting at his hand as he reached to snag another from the plate.</p>
<p>"They taste better when they come from your plate," Draco smirked, popping another crisp in his mouth.</p>
<p>Blaise shoved the plate toward him and took a long sip of his soda, "Wasn't expecting to see you over break," he said. "Surprised the she-devil that is your aunt let you leave the Manor."</p>
<p>"She was busy torturing Snatchers," Draco said, conjuring a napkin to clean his salt coated fingers off on. He dug into his pocket and pulled out the Sickle, holding it in the air for Blaise to see. "They found this in Savernake Forest a couple months back."</p>
<p>Blaise arched an eyebrow at him and pulled the chain from his hand, staring down at the Sickle. "It's a Sickle."</p>
<p>"It is," Draco confirmed.</p>
<p>"I don't follow, mate."</p>
<p>"It's a Sickle on a chain that an idiot group of Snatchers managed to find somehow in a forty five hundred acre forest just outside of the Manor's property line. Does that seem like a coincidence to you?"</p>
<p>Blaise furrowed his brows, tilting his head as he stared down at the Sickle in his palm. "No, I suppose it doesn't. You think it's Ellie's?"</p>
<p>Draco shrugged, "That or Potter's. Although I can't see a reason anyone but Ellie would be in Savernake. I had a thought about it, that's why I sent you the message on that Galleon. Do you think it could be charmed, like that Galleon is?"</p>
<p>Blaise's eyes met Draco's and he smirked, "Only one way to find out, isn't there?"</p>
<hr/>
<p>Elara's eyes felt heavy as she blinked rapidly, the sound of her name coming from Hermione with urgency, "Ellie! Ellie, wake up!"</p>
<p>Elara sat up, rubbing at her eyes and looking around her surroundings. The flood of the previous night's events crashed over her as she realized she and Ron had located Harry and Hermione and had come back to their camp.</p>
<p>"Is something wrong? What happened? Where's Harry?" Elara said, throwing the covers from her waist and clambering to her feet.</p>
<p>"Ron and Harry are outside on look out," Hermione said, "They're fine. Nothing's wrong. But look!"</p>
<p>Hermione held up a chain from her neck, the silver Sickle swaying gently as she pulled it away from her chest. Elara put her hand under it, to steady it, and pulled her face closer, looking at the Sickle.</p>
<p>
  <em>U OK?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>DM</em>
</p>
<p>"D.M.?" Elara said, her brain working to try and make sense of the message. "You don't think it's-</p>
<p>"It has to be, hasn't it?" Hermione said, her face splitting into a huge grin. "It has to be! Who else would know to try and send a message with it? You said you had stayed in a forest in Wiltshire, right? And that Snatchers found your Sickle and that's why you couldn't communicate to any of us… It makes <em>sense</em> Ellie."</p>
<p>"What if it's a trap?" Ellie said, her heart thundering hard against her chest. "What if it's not him?"</p>
<p>"Do you think a Death Eater would waste their time with a Sickle, Ellie?" Hermione said.</p>
<p>Elara tried to calm her breathing, to sort her thoughts and try to wrangle in her emotions. "Hermione, do you think-</p>
<p>"<em>Yes</em>," she said. "Yes, Ellie, I think it's really him!" Hermione pulled the necklace off her neck and dropped it in Elara's hand. "Send him a message. It's untraceable, they won't be able to find us through it."</p>
<p>Elara nodded and looked down at the small silver piece and watched as the message engraved itself into the coin before disappearing.</p>
<p>
  <em>U Found It</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>EM</em>
</p>
<p>She waited, staring at her hand, her eyes burning as she willed the <em>stupid piece of silver</em> to warm. When it finally did, only a few moments later, her breath hitched in her throat and she fell onto the bunk, tears welling in her eyes.</p>
<p>
  <em>I love you</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>DM</em>
</p>
<p>"He-Hermione," Elara said, tears spilling over as her chest tightened even further. "He's still alive. He's still alive! I thought… I thought they'd kill him by now. I <em>hoped</em> he'd still be alive, but I… I know the danger he's in being at the Manor, being at Hogwarts. Hermione, when I saw him in August… He looked like a <em>skeleton</em>. I thought they'd have killed him by now."</p>
<p>Hermione sat on the bunk next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and hugging her to her side. "Ellie, if he's alive, that's a good thing."</p>
<p>Elara nodded, returning the embrace. "I'm sorry Hermione, I'm sorry. I know he was <em>awful</em> to you, but-</p>
<p>"He's your brother," she said, a small smile on her lips. "And you may apologize on his behalf far too frequently, but you don't have to apologize for being worried about him."</p>
<p>
  <em>I love you too</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>EM</em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>The mood in the tent was tense as the days passed. Hermione was slowly working up to forgiving Ron for walking out on her and Harry, but now with one Horcrux down and no idea where any of the remainders could be, the stress of the group was palpable.</p>
<p>Ron tried to remain positive, his false cheerfulness was not lost on Elara, however. She could feel the underlying fear and uncertainty that bubbled just below the surface of his optimistic comments and beaming smiles.</p>
<p>"Someone had to be helping us, though! How else would there have been a Patronus?" Ron said, his fingers tapping absentmindedly against the table.</p>
<p>"Who?" Harry asked, "Who could it have been? I don't know anyone who has a doe patronus."</p>
<p>"What about Kingsley? Or Remus?" Ron asked.</p>
<p>"Kingsley's is a lynx, we saw it at Bill and Fleur's wedding, remember?" Elara said.</p>
<p>"Oh right, well Remus-</p>
<p>"Remus' Patronus is a wolf." Harry interjected.</p>
<p>"What about Malfoy?" Ron asked.</p>
<p>Elara looked up from the copy of <em>Guide to Magical Plants and Medicinal Purposes</em> and arched an eyebrow at him, "My brother or my father?"</p>
<p>"I can't see either of them helping us out, but out of the two, your wanker brother might." Ron said.</p>
<p>Elara rolled her eyes and sighed, "Ron, he can't produce a corporeal Patronus. I didn't even think <em>I</em> could until we were at the Ministry, we've had this conversation! I doubt Draco has even attempted it."</p>
<p>"What about Zabini?" he countered. "He isn't Marked-</p>
<p>"That we know of," Harry interjected.</p>
<p>"That we know of," Ron agreed. "Maybe he sent it?"</p>
<p>Elara stuck her quill into the book and closed it, sighing as she folded her hands. "How would Blaise know where Harry and Hermione were? It isn't as if any of you were friendly with him. Also, I'm fairly certain that Blaise is a Slytherin, which means he wouldn't have been able to wield the Sword of Gryffindor, much less make it appear to him. Besides, Blaise doesn't like large animals. He was terrified of the horses we had at the Manor as kids."</p>
<p>"What about someone who-</p>
<p>"Ron, I don't mean to be rude, but at this point I don't think it matters who sent it. It served its purpose, clearly." Elara said.</p>
<p>"Of course it matters!" Ron argued, "If someone is trying to <em>help </em>us, shouldn't we find out who it is? See what they know? They had the sword or they at least knew where it was! That seems important!"</p>
<p>"I'm not disagreeing that it's important! I'm just saying that right now it's one more thing to worry about, one more piece of the puzzle. We need to focus on the big picture, not the individual pieces."</p>
<p>Hermione walked over from the chair she had been curled up in, reading over her copy of Tales of the Beedle and the Bard, and slammed the book, open onto the table. "We need to go see Xenophilius Lovegood," she said.</p>
<p>Harry, Ron, and Elara all looked up at her, equally confused expressions on their faces.</p>
<p>"Lovegood? Why?" Harry asked.</p>
<p>Hermione pointed to a symbol in the book, a triangle with a circle inside and a straight line running through the center. "This symbol," she said. "It isn't a rune, at least not one that I can decipher. But I saw it," Hermione looked at Harry, "When we were in Godric's Hollow, at the cemetery. I saw this symbol on one of the graves there. It keeps cropping up and-</p>
<p>"Wait a moment," Elara said, looking at the mark as she chewed on her bottom lip. "Isn't that the pendant Mr. Lovegood was wearing at the wedding? The one that Viktor Krum-" Ron interrupted with a snort and an eyeroll, "Was furious about?"</p>
<p>"Yes!" Hermione said, "Yes! That's why we need to go see him!"</p>
<p>Harry's brows knit together as he stared at the symbol. He got up from the table and walked to his cot, rummaging through a few items before returning with a book. He flipped it open to a page that had the corner folded over and set the open book down, pointing to an identical symbol. "It was written here too, in letters from Dumbledore to Grindelwald, at least… If Skeeter isn't completely full of shit."</p>
<p>"Harry," Elara scolded.</p>
<p>"Sorry, full of rubbish," he corrected. "You think Xenophilius would know something more about it?"</p>
<p>"He seemed rather convinced the symbol wasn't just the mark of an evil Wizard at the wedding," Elara said.</p>
<p>Hermione nodded, "I think it's our best bet right now. He may know something about it that we don't."</p>
<p>"Well that's good news, innit?" Ron said, plastering a beaming grin to his face. "It's still Christmas Hols, Luna will be home!"</p>
<p>Over the course of the next several hours, the group packed away their items, ate a very small lunch and dinner and came up with a plan to visit the Lovegood house the next day. Ron knew they lived near the Burrow, but he wasn't exactly sure where. They decided they would apparate to the outskirts of Ottery St. Catchpole and head east on foot.</p>
<p>That evening, Elara and Hermione sat outside of the tent, wands in hand as they took first watch. Elara could hear the light snores of Ron and Harry coming from inside and hoped they would be able to get some rest. Hermione conjured a jar of blue flames and set it between them, settling her back against the side of the tent, the ancient copy of the wizarding fairy tales in her lap as she skimmed through it again.</p>
<p>"I just can't understand why he left me this book," Hermione mumbled. "I've gotten the entire thing deciphered now, I've read through it at <em>least</em> twenty times. I know the stories like the back of my hand now. And I <em>still</em> don't understand why he left it to me."</p>
<p>Elara frowned, leaning over to look at the book, her shoulder and mangled bicep of her left arm touching Hermione's right side. "What about the snitch?" she asked, "Did you have any luck figuring out if there was something inside?"</p>
<p>Hermione shook her head, "No," she said. "Nothing. I had hoped since the Deluminator brought you and Ron back here, that maybe something would happen. Maybe that would trigger something to happen…" she trailed off, rolling her head on her shoulders and sighing.</p>
<p>"We'll find something," Elara said, "He wouldn't have left you this for no reason."</p>
<p>Hermione snorted, "I'm not so confident about that, anymore."</p>
<p>Silence settled between them as Hermione's eyes scanned the worn pages again, her fingers flipping through the book as she read the words that she more than likely had committed to memory. Elara lost herself in her thoughts, her mind wandering to the Manor, where it always seemed to go. She knew Draco was alive and if he was able to send her a couple secret messages through a charmed Sickle, that meant he was <em>mostly</em> okay. At least, he hadn't been tortured to insanity yet.</p>
<p>The churn of her stomach at that thought made her nauseous. The fact that she had <em>expected</em> her brother to be tortured to insanity or killed by now felt heavy in her head. She felt wracked with guilt. Guilt for not forcing Draco to come with her to safety, guilt for leaving him to face Voldemort and the rest of the Death Eaters on his own. Guilt for shoving him off his broom when they went to Surrey to move Harry… She felt sick with it. Knowing that he and Blaise were at Hogwarts, trapped with the Carrow twins and more than likely being tortured daily for their own sadistic pleasures.</p>
<p>She hoped, <em>prayed</em>, that at the very least someone would look out for them. Maybe Snape would try and corral the Carrow's? Maybe her brother would finally learn to keep his <em>stupid </em>comments to himself and get his temper under control? Blaise might be able to talk some sense into him, convince him to keep his mouth shut.</p>
<p>Elara felt so weighted by guilt. Not just for Draco and Blaise, but for Pansy and Ginny and Neville and Luna and every other person she had talked to that was stuck at Hogwarts for the term. For Fred and George and the rest of the Weasley family, for Remus and Dora and Aunt Andy and…</p>
<p>For Ted. For Ted she felt more guilt, more sadness than she could process. He had <em>died</em> because of her. Because they knew who she was and he tried to save her, tried to wrestle the Snatchers to the ground to keep her safe. <em>He didn't even have his wand.</em> They killed him and he was disarmed, no more a threat to them as a bee to a flower.<em> And they killed him</em>.</p>
<p>Elara felt Hermione's hand slip into hers and the weight of her curly head on her shoulder. Hermione laced their fingers together and it was then that Elara realized she had started crying again.</p>
<p>"I swear, one day I'll get through a full week without sobbing," Elara grumbled, thankful for the comfort her friend was offering.</p>
<p>"I cry every day too," Hermione whispered. "I have for weeks. I honestly don't know how Harry manages without sobbing every five minutes."</p>
<p>Elara chuckled, sniffling as laid her cheek to the top of Hermione's head. "It's beyond me," she said. "But if I were him, I'd have broken down a long time ago."</p>
<p>"He did break down, a few times when it was just us." Hermione said, "When he heard your message on Potterwatch. I had never heard him cry like that before. He needed to hear it, your voice. He needed to know you were okay."</p>
<p>"I didn't know if you still listened or not," Elara said. "But I had to say something. It was the only thing I could do at the time."</p>
<p>"It was enough," Hermione reassured her.</p>
<p>"Hermione, I'm terrified that we aren't going to find the rest of them." Elara whispered, her voice shaking. "I just… We have no idea what we're looking for and every day that passes more people are being killed and I just… He's got control of the Ministry and Hogwarts… What more is there for him to take control of?"</p>
<p>"As long as we keep fighting against him, he doesn't have control. Not really," Hermione said. "We'll get some answers tomorrow, I'm sure of it."</p>
<p>Elara and Hermione sat cuddled together against the tent as the moon rose high above them, illuminating the surrounding trees in a silver glow. As they whispered theories back and forth and talked about their time while separated, Elara came to the realization that once everything was over, once the Horcruxes were found and destroyed, there may come a time where she has to choose her side again. A time where she may need to solidify her stance against Voldemort and the Death Eaters, against her brother and her parents.</p>
<p>As Harry exited the tent, bundled in a blanket and sitting down beside her, effectively sandwiching her between himself and Hermione, Elara concluded that they were her family now. And she would stand against anyone who tried to harm them.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi! Thank you so much for reading! Leave a review? Maybe? <br/>Cool.<br/>Hey I have a fb group. Mimifreed Writing<br/>xo<br/>Mimi</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Chapter 30</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 30: Explosions</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <em>All On My Mind by Anderson East</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Dylan Thomas by Better Oblivion Community Center</em>
</p>
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<p>Elara sighed as she nuzzled her face into Harry's chest. She hadn't been able to get but a few hours of sleep and when yet another nightmare had roused her from her sleep, Ron had offered to take Harry's place outside so that he could come in and comfort her. Harry had fallen asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow and Elara was happy to lay with him and watch his chest rise and fall as he took shallow breaths.</p>
<p>She craned her neck a bit, looking up to his face, the bridge of her nose resting just above his shoulder. He turned a bit, his lips finding her forehead and pressing to them.</p>
<p>"You're staring," he mumbled, his lips moving against her forehead.</p>
<p>"Sorry," she whispered. "I can't sleep."</p>
<p>"What's bothering you?" he asked.</p>
<p>"I'm worried we're going into another dead end," Elara said, her voice a murmur. "I know Hermione is confident that there's a reason that symbol keeps cropping up, and I trust her judgement. But…"</p>
<p>"It feels like more questions without answers," Harry supplied, knowingly.</p>
<p>Elara nodded against his chin, his stubble prickling against her face. "Yeah," she said. "Exactly."</p>
<p>Harry sighed, turning to his side and nudging Elara to do the same. She rolled over, facing the canvas of the tent and smiling to herself as he pulled her backside flush against him, his face pressed to the junction where the back of her neck meets her shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her, lacing his fingers with hers and holding her tightly as he peppered her neck and shoulder with kisses.</p>
<p>"I can take your mind off of it, if you'd like," he whispered, nipping at the skin behind her ear.</p>
<p>"We're on a cot in a tent, Harry. Ron and Hermione are just outside." she reminded him.</p>
<p>"They'll be out there for quite some time," he reasoned, trailing his tongue against her neck before nipping at her shoulder. "And I've missed you quite a lot. I don't think they'd blame us."</p>
<p>She let out an airy laugh, "Harry!"</p>
<p>He unlocked his hands from hers and slipped one under the waistband of her red pajama bottoms caressing the skin just above the elastic of her knickers. "Ellie," he countered, kissing her neck. His opposite hand slipped under her t-shirt, trailing up her ribs before resting between her breasts, cupping the right one in his palm. "I've missed you."</p>
<p>"You have, have you?" She said, biting back a smile, enjoying teasing him a bit. "I've been back a week, here I thought it was just talking to me, that you've missed.</p>
<p>She arched her back, shifting her hips to rub her bum against him. She could feel him hardening through the thin layers of cotton pajamas and underpants that separated them. He groaned low in his throat as she shifted against him again, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip.</p>
<p>"You keep moving like that and I won't even be able to pretend to care that we're in a tent, anymore." Harry whispered, his voice low and husky.</p>
<p>"That's rather the point," she said.</p>
<p>She felt his chest shake against her as he laughed and gasped as his fingers slipped into her knickers, stroking her heat a few times. She let out a shaky breath and parted her thighs, hooking her ankle around the backs of his knees. He drew slow circles around her pearl, pressing lightly and kneading at the soft flesh of her breasts. Her hips bucked forward as he pressed a finger to her entrance, teasing her a bit before sliding it inside of her.</p>
<p>She gasped, a high pitched whimper as he crooked his finger, stroking her from the inside and kissing the tender skin on her neck. She pushed back against him again, her mouth going dry at the sound of his groan in her ear. It had been months since she felt him inside of her, and the rapid beating of her heart in her chest as her lungs heaved for air, had her crying out for more. She needed more contact, needed to feel more of him.</p>
<p>Her hand flew behind her, wrestling against the blanket as it landed on his hip, tugging at his pajama bottoms, shoving the cotton down to his thigh. He shifted, lifting up from the cot so she could free him from the confines of the material. He pulled his hand from her, causing another low gasp from the loss of contact. Harry hooked his thumbs into the waistband of her bottoms, shoving them off her hips and over the round of her kicked her pajamas and knickers off her legs and threw her leg over Harry's again.</p>
<p>He shifted his hips and reached between them to situate himself at her entrance and then held her hip as he slowly pushed into her, blowing air between his teeth in a hissing groan.</p>
<p>"<em>Fuck</em>," He breathed, "I think I forgot how good you feel."</p>
<p>"Harry," she whimpered. "<em>Please</em>."</p>
<p>Harry began rocking into her, his left arm trapped under her body,his hand shoved up her shirt as he massaged her breasts, the fingers of his right hand dug into her hip. His breath was hot on the back of her neck as he pumped into her, his hips slapping against her buttocks.</p>
<p>She cried out, keening whimpers of his name and prayers to Gods she didn't believe in. His mouth moved to her shoulder, using it to stifle his own wails of pleasure as his pace picked up. Her hand dropped between her legs, her fingers running circles over her pearl as he thrust deeper into her.</p>
<p>It was fast and needy, desperate as they moved in unison, swearing and moaning under their breaths, trying to repress their cries as they moved closer and closer to the edge. Harry's hand fell from her hip, instead grabbing at her leg and pulling it further open. Had she been in a better state of mind, she may have been embarrassed about how lewd it looked, her thighs spread open, her own hand moving furiously between them as Harry pumped into her from behind. But the new angle caused her back to nearly lock up as he hit a deep spot within her, her eyes rolling into the back of her head as her head fell back onto Harry.</p>
<p>She felt the tug below her navel, like an ever tightening coil on the brink of coming undone. Harry's hand swatted her own away from her body in order to replace it and the firm, warm touch of his fingertips to the sensitive nub caused her to unravel. Shoving her over the top of a mountain, a freefall as stars burst behind her eyelids and her lungs burned for air. Her inner walls clenching onto Harry, holding him within her and bringing him to his own end.</p>
<p>As they came down from their high, Harry continued to press soft kisses to her shoulder, whispering sweet words to her. She let her eyes remain closed, ignoring the world around them. Ignoring the fact that they were on a cot in a tent with their two best friends on the other side of a flimsy piece of canvas, ignoring that in a few short hours they would be left with more questions than answers and again be on the move.</p>
<p>Right now, all she wanted to think about was Harry. How he was next to her, clinging to her like his life depended on it, whispering praises and "i love you's" into her skin. His arms wrapped around her torso, holding her tightly to him, his breath against her neck, and his legs twisted with hers.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The air was cold against her face, the wind biting at her cheeks and kicking her blonde locks behind her. Harry's fingers twisted around her own and she startled as the <em>crack</em> of apparition alerted Hermione and Ron's arrival.</p>
<p>The view of Ottery St. Catchpole from the top of the hill they stood on was breathtaking in the early morning sunlight. The golden rays caught the smoke that billowed from the chimneys of the houses and shops below them, casting a slight shadow over the west side of the village.</p>
<p>"It's weird isn't it?" Ron said, "Being here and not going to the Burrow."</p>
<p>"You were just there!" Hermione said.</p>
<p>"No," Ron said, shaking his head. "No, I went to Bill and Fleur's."</p>
<p>"It got ransacked," Elara said, looking in the direction of the Burrow, seeing only the very top of it from where they stood. "Death Eaters tore through it. No one's been staying there for months."</p>
<p>"Oh," Hermione said, looking down at her boots. "I didn't know…"</p>
<p>"Doesn't matter," Ron mumbled. "C'mon. I think the Lovegood's are over that next hill." Ron pointed to a hill a ways off, shielding his eyes from the late morning sun.</p>
<p>It took about an hour before they reached the farside of the hill. A large tower that looked like a chess piece rose into the air from the earth. It was surrounded by dozens of large bushes with floating orange fruits.</p>
<p>"Keep off the dirigible plums?" Hermione read the sign sticking out of the ground. "What on earth is dirigible plum?"</p>
<p>"Those, I reckon." Harry said, pointing to the floating orange spheres.</p>
<p>"The Quibbler, Editor, X. Lovegood." Elara read, the sign tacked to the front door. "This is definitely their place."</p>
<p>"Of course it is!" Ron laughed, "Who else would live in a place like this?" A chorus of murmured agreement came from the group and Ron was the first to reach out to the door, rapping his knuckles hard against the wood. "I bet they'll be happy to see us. The Quibbler has been the only thing printing support for you, Harry. Merlin, it'll be good to see Luna! She always makes me laugh!"</p>
<p>They could hear the rustling within the home, a voice mumbling as it came closer to the inside of the door. <em>Fear. Paranoia. Apprehension.</em></p>
<p>"I don't think he's going to be happy to see us," Elara mumbled.</p>
<p>The door flung open and Xenophilius Lovegood stood before them, his white hair unkempt, in a stained nightshirt that fell to his knees. "What are you doing here? Who are you? What do you want?" he fired the questions at them in quick succession, his eyes narrowing as he stared at them suspiciously.</p>
<p>"Hello, Mr. Lovegood," Harry began, offering his hand to the man. "I'm Harry Potter. I wondered if we could talk to you for a few moments?"</p>
<p>"Harry Potter?" <em>Suspicion. Terror. Anger.</em> "I don't… I don't think that's advisable, Harry Potter."</p>
<p>"It will only take a moment, Sir." Harry insisted, practically shoving the man out of his own doorway.</p>
<p>"Oh all right, get in. Quickly!" Mr. Lovegood said.</p>
<p>Elara jumped as he slammed the door shut behind them. Her stomach twisted in knots as the man's uneasiness crept into her. Something wasn't right. She took a deep breath and tried to shake the feeling as she looked around the home.</p>
<p>They stood in the circular kitchen, which was completely covered in painted flowers, insects, and animals. The bright colors all clashed against one another and screamed 'Luna'. Even the kettle on the stove top was turquoise with painted flowers on it! Elara's eyes wandered, landing on a spiral staircase in the center of the home that climbed upward to the other floors. Mr. Lovegood sped to the stairs, climbing up them. They heard a series of banging sounds and Harry's brows furrowed together as he looked at Elara.</p>
<p>"Wonder what Luna is doing up there?" Harry whispered.</p>
<p>Elara shook her head, "I don't think that's Luna, Harry. I can't feel her here, I don't think she's home."</p>
<p>"You'd better come up!" Mr. Lovegood called from the next floor.</p>
<p>"Right," Harry said. "Up we go, I guess."</p>
<p>They climbed the stairs and entered another circular room that was far more crowded than the kitchen was, something Elara hadn't thought possible. In the corner of the room was an old-fashioned printing press, the source of the loud banging noises. A small sofa was shoved to the side and there were tiny models of creatures floating around the space.</p>
<p>"Oh my- Oh my <em>God.</em>" Hermione breathed, taking a few steps back from the place she stood. "That's an Erumpant Horn!"</p>
<p>"No," Mr. Lovegood said. "No, it's the horn of a crumple-horned snokack. I bought it for Luna for Christmas."</p>
<p>"No, sir, that is an Erumpant horn and it's <em>extremely</em> dangerous to have in a home! It could explode at the slightest touch!" Hermione cried, her face pulling in fear.</p>
<p>Ron stumbled backward, away from the horn.</p>
<p>"No, it isn't." Mr. Lovegood said, his voice full of annoyance. "It's a-</p>
<p>"We need your help, sir." Harry interrupted, shooting a scathing look at Hermione for bringing up the strange horn.</p>
<p>"Yes, help. You've said that. You see, the thing is," Mr. Lovegood's eyes lingered on Harry's forehead, staring at his scar. "It's rather dangerous, you see… To help Harry Potter."</p>
<p>"But isn't that what you keep telling everyone to do?" Ron asked, "I've seen it printed in the Quibbler, myself! So, what? Everyone else should help Harry, but not you?"</p>
<p>Mr. Lovegood's eyes tore away from Harry's face as he stared at Ron. "I haven't- I mean I think that-</p>
<p>"Mr. Lovegood," Elara interjected, her voice remaining even and soft. "Where is Luna? Perhaps, if you got her, she would tell you we mean no harm."</p>
<p>"Yes," he said. "Of course, Luna… She's down at the stream, fishing for freshwater Plimpies."</p>
<p>"Could you retrieve her?" Elara asked, "We'd like to see her, as well."</p>
<p>"Of course, of course. I'll go get… I'll fetch Luna." Mr. Lovegood quickly made his way down the stairs and out of the house, the door slamming shut.</p>
<p>Elara turned to Harry the moment the door snapped shut. "Harry," she said. "He's lying. Luna isn't here."</p>
<p>"He just said she's at the stream."</p>
<p>"No, no. I mean, she isn't here at all. She's not anywhere near this property. I would have felt her. Besides that, he's <em>lying</em>. I can feel that. I know he isn't telling us the truth." Elara said, "He's extremely paranoid."</p>
<p>"You've met Luna," Ron said. "They're just strange people. Why would he lie?"</p>
<p>"I don't know," Elara said. "I don't know, but I don't like this. Something isn't right."</p>
<p>"It's fine," Harry said. "We'll ask our questions and get the hell out of here."</p>
<p>"Hopefully quickly," Hermione added, "That horn is going to explode and kill us all if it does. I'd rather not be here for that."</p>
<p>Elara took a seat next to Hermione on the small sofa as Harry crossed the room to look out the window and Ron perched on the arm of the sofa. Ron and Hermione began talking about the hypocrisy of Luna's father as Elara stared around the room. She was sure that Luna wasn't here, and by the apprehension and fear coursing through her father, Elara had a good guess as to what may have happened to Luna.</p>
<p>There were regular disappearances, anyone showing support for Harry had been snatched. Taken away to Azkaban, tortured, obliviated and dumped somewhere, or killed. She had heard the stories of it while staying at Andromeda's and Ted's. Heard Remus talking about the obliviated witches and wizards found wandering the streets of muggle London. It was no secret that the Lovegood's support rested with Harry, and Luna was friends with him. There was a number of things that could have happened to the witch, all of them making Elara feel nauseous.</p>
<p>The strange smell wafting up the stairs as Xenophilius appeared at the landing didn't help her nauseous feeling either. He held a tray with what <em>looked</em> to be a tea service, but the sickening smell suggested it was not tea in the pot.</p>
<p>"Gurdyroot infusion," Mr. Lovegood said. "We make it ourselves. Luna will be up shortly, she'd nearly caught enough Plimpies to make a stew."</p>
<p>The sudden change in his demeanor was jarring and Elara turned her head to look at Hermione. Hermione's lips were pursed and her eyebrows raised as if confirming Elara's suspicions.</p>
<p>"Thanks," Harry said, taking a cup of the beet-red liquid.</p>
<p>Elara took the cup and brought it to her lips, grimacing as she took a polite sip and nearly choking on the vile liquid. She lowered the cup to her lap, holding it with both hands.</p>
<p>"You said you needed my help?" Mr. Lovegood said, "How can I help you, Harry Potter?"</p>
<hr/>
<p>Hermione read the Tale of the Three Brothers from her copy of Tales of the Beedle of the Bard. When she had pulled the book out of her bag, Mr. Lovegood's eyes grew wide in amazement at the ancient copy of the book. After a couple of interruptions from Ron and Harry, which got both of them a side-eyed look of irritation from Hermione as she red, she closed the book and looked at Mr. Lovegood, expectantly.</p>
<p>"So, there you have it." he said, "The Deathly Hallows."</p>
<p>"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm not sure I understand." Harry said.</p>
<p>"The Elderwand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Cloak of Invisibility," Mr. Lovegood said, drawing the symbol on a piece of parchment. "He who has the hallows shall then be the Master of Death."</p>
<p>"Master of Death?" Ron asked, his face going a bit pale.</p>
<p>"Vanquisher, conqueror… It's just a title. The word is interchangeable."</p>
<p>"Mr. Lovegood, you speak as if these are <em>real</em> items. That they really exist," Hermione said.</p>
<p>"They do exist," he said.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry, sir, but this is a children's story. A fairytale that-</p>
<p>"I have heard of you Ms. Granger, my Luna has said you are very intelligent. However, it should seem you are a bit close-minded."</p>
<p>Ron choked, trying not to laugh as Harry bit into his lip. Elara rolled her eyes, smacking the back of Ron's head. "You're an idiot," she whispered to him.</p>
<p>"Sorry," Ron laughed. "He's got a point…"</p>
<p>"It isn't close-minded," Elara said, "It <em>is</em> a children's story."</p>
<p>They continued to talk to Xenophilius for a while, learning more about the hallows and their uses. As he began explaining the Cloak of Invisibility, Elara caught the look on Harry's face. One she was sure was shared by Ron and Hermione.</p>
<p>After a while, Mr. Lovegood insisted they stay and have supper with he and Luna, who had yet to show up. Elara was still convinced that was because Luna was not present, but she didn't press the issue any further. Mr. Lovegood took the tea tray back downstairs and began moving around in the kitchen, the banging of pots and pans muffling their voices.</p>
<p>"What a waste of time," Hermione sighed. "Such a load of rubbish. That can't be what this symbol actually means, it's ridiculous!"</p>
<p>"I suppose it <em>is</em> the man who bought an Erumpant horn, thinking it was a Snorkack, whatever the hell that's supposed to be," Ron said.</p>
<p>"You don't believe it either?" Harry asked.</p>
<p>"No," Ron said. "It's just a story. One of those things that teaches your kids that things are better left alone, isn't it? Although, maybe that's why Elder wands are supposed to be unlucky."</p>
<p>"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.</p>
<p>"Well, it's just one of those superstitions, innit?" Ron said, "Jinx by twilight, undone by midnight."</p>
<p>"May-born witches will marry Muggles," Elara interjected.</p>
<p>"Yeah! You've had to heard them! My mum is full of them!" Ron said.</p>
<p>"Wand of Elder, never prosper…" Elara whispered, her brows knitting together. "Yeah, my mum has said them too."</p>
<p>"Harry and I grew up with Muggles, we were taught very different superstitions."</p>
<p>"Like what?" Ron asked.</p>
<p>"Broken mirrors give seven years bad luck," Hermione said. "Opening an umbrella indoors will cause despair in your life-</p>
<p>"Despair?!" Ron said, "Well what are you supposed to do if it's raining inside?!"</p>
<p>"It doesn't rain inside of Muggle homes, Ron," Elara said, rolling her eyes. "Either way, the Elder Wand does hold some historical merit, doesn't it?"</p>
<p>"What do you mean?" Harry asked.</p>
<p>"Elara's right," Hermione said. "There's proof through different texts of a wand that death always follows. The Deathstick-</p>
<p>"The wand of destiny…" Elara interjected.</p>
<p>Hermione nodded. "They've been called different names, but they crop up from time to time."</p>
<p>They continued talking about the wand, discussing whether it was a single wand or several different wands. A smell came from the kitchen that was positively <em>dreadful</em> and Elara rose from the sofa to pace the floor. She stopped in front of the window, staring out over the land that was tinged pink and orange from the sun. She could see the stream glittering against the patchy grass and still, there was no sign of Luna.</p>
<p>
  <em>Fear. Guilt. Shame.</em>
</p>
<p>"We need to leave," Elara said, interrupting the conversation the three of them were in. She turned around, looking at Harry. "Harry, we need to leave now. Something isn't right."</p>
<p>Elara stepped forward, leaning down to collect her knapsack from the floor by the sofa when a picture of Harry caught her eye. She picked up the magazine with The Quibbler written across the top, Harry's face on the front, read UNDESIREABLE NUMBER ONE.</p>
<p>"I told you!" Elara hissed, shoving the magazine at Harry and shouldering her bag. "Harry! I <em>told</em> you something wasn't right. We need to go, we need to leave-</p>
<p>"NO!" A clattering of dishes on the ground brought their attention to Xenophilius Lovegood, his arms thrown over the opening of the stairwell. "No! You can't leave! You <em>must</em> stay!"</p>
<p>"Where is Luna, Mr. Lovegood?" Elara asked, "She isn't here. Where is she?"</p>
<p>"They took her!" the man cried, a heart-wrenching sob tearing from his throat. "They t-took my Luna! My Luna! She is- she is <em>all I have</em>! Don't you understand? And they took her!"</p>
<p>"Because you were printing support for Harry," Elara said.</p>
<p>Mr. Lovegood nodded furiously, "They took my Luna! My sweet, darling Luna! And if I give them you… They don't <em>want</em> her! They want you. Don't you see?"</p>
<p>"What have you done?" Elara whispered, her breath coming in rapid pants as panic bloomed in her chest. "What did you do?"</p>
<p>"I'm sorry! I-</p>
<p>"WE NEED TO GO, NOW!" Hermione yelled, looking at them from the window.</p>
<p>From the window, Elara could see black robes billowing as half a dozen Death Eaters flew toward the house on brooms.</p>
<p>"No!" Mr. Lovegood cried, "Please! Please! My Luna! My Luna!"</p>
<p>"Move!" Elara said, attempting to shoulder past the man.</p>
<p>"Ellie! Look out!" Ron shouted.</p>
<p>Mr. Lovegood drew his wand, aiming it at Elara. Harry shoved into him, knocking his arm to the side as his stunning spell left his lips. The jet of red light hit the Erumpant horn and seconds later, a deafening explosion.</p>
<p>Mr. Lovegood was thrown backward, tumbling down the stairs with a series of sickening thuds. Elara and Harry smacked into the wall, the glass of the window showering her in tiny cuts and the wall raining rubble over them. Hermione, who stood the furthest from the horn, dove out of the way, covering her head with her hands and crying out as the sofa upended and toppled over on top of her. Ron was blasted into the far wall, the ancient printing press collapsing on top of him, pinning him to the ground.</p>
<p>"Brought us out here to blow us up have you?!" An angry voice yelled from the kitchen.</p>
<p>"No! No! Please! My Luna! I have Harry Potter! He is upstairs! He is upstairs!"</p>
<p>"You've brought us to your home, more than once, all for ridiculous things. If you want your daughter back I suggest you bring Harry Potter to us <em>now</em>." A cold voice hissed at Mr. Lovegood and Elara stopped, hunched over as she tried to help Harry out from under the rubble.</p>
<p>"That's my father," she whispered. "Harry, that's my father."</p>
<p>"I know," Harry whispered.</p>
<p>"If he comes up here and finds me with you, he'll kill you all." she said, her voice shaking. She pulled Harry's ankle from where it was trapped and ran to Hermione, helping to shove the frame of the sofa off of her. "We need to get out!"</p>
<p>"What a waste of time!" A voice from downstairs shouted, "Stupid man! Your insanity-</p>
<p>"I am not insane!" Mr. Lovegood cried, "Harry Potter is up there! <em>Please</em>!"</p>
<p>"If you want your daughter from my dungeons, Lovegood, I suggest you stop-</p>
<p>"She's at the Manor!" Elara cried, tears cutting through the thick dust on her face. "Oh Merlin, if she's at the Manor.. Harry, they'll kill her! They'll kill Luna! We have to do something!"</p>
<p>Harry, Hermione, and Elara all worked together to levitate the massive printing press off of Ron.</p>
<p>"I have an idea!" Hermione said, "We'll have to all apparate together though. I think I can do it without splinching us."</p>
<p>"I'll splinch again, I don't care!" Elara said, "What are you-</p>
<p>"Let them see Harry, let them see Harry and let your father see you. If they see you both, they'll know he wasn't lying, but they <em>have</em> to see you both, Ellie!"</p>
<p>Elara nodded, "Yes, yes! Hermione, you're brilliant!"</p>
<p>"Now! Now! Grab my hand!" Hermione said.</p>
<p>Mr. Lovegood was making his way up the stairs, his eyes crazed as they locked on to the small group.</p>
<p>"Wait!" Elara said, "Wait!" she let go of Hermione's hand and approached Mr. Lovegood, grabbing the sides of his face and forcing him to look at her. Harry ran to the side of the man, peering down the stairs.</p>
<p>"We don't have time for this Ellie! What are you-</p>
<p>"If anyone takes him, they'll question why we're here, Harry!" Elara said, "We weren't able to protect Luna, but we can help him!"</p>
<p>"Get off me!" Lovegood cried, "If I let them have you-</p>
<p>"Look at me," Elara said, her fingers pressed to his temples. "Look at me, Mr. Lovegood."</p>
<p>Elara locked her eyes onto his and she began carding through his mind, flipping through it like cards on a rolodex, she picked the memories of the last few hours and buried them deep within his mind. She pulled forward a calming peacefulness and held onto it until the man began to sag against her, falling unconscious.</p>
<p>"What did you-</p>
<p>"He's just asleep!" Elara said, "Let's go!"</p>
<p>She laced her fingers through Harry's and Hermione's and Ron pointed his wand to the floor, blasting a hole directly under where they stood. They fell through the ceiling, landing in the kitchen.</p>
<p>Travers, Selwyn, Pucey, Crabbe Sr., and her Father stood in the cramped kitchen, stumbling backward as they fell through. Elara landed on her feet, pain rocketing through her shin at the impact, before any of the Death Eaters could pull their wands Elara yelled out.</p>
<p>"Father!" she yelled, "Father!"</p>
<p>The moment the word left her mouth, his head whipped to the side and his eyes locked on hers. "Ellie?"</p>
<p>She felt her chin tremble as she gave him a small, watery smile. Taking a deep breath, she pulled her eyes from him and looked at Hermione. "Now!" she said, "Hermione, now!"</p>
<p>With a loud <em>crack,</em> the painful sensation of being shoved through a rubber tube ripped through her body, stealing the breath from her lungs and making her head feel as if it were going to pop. When her feet hit the ground, she collapsed to her knees, taking in deep, shaking breaths.</p>
<p>.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I have a fb group, come check it out!<br/>mimifreed writing :)<br/>thank you so much for reading! Please leave a review?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Chapter 31</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 31: Fatherly Advice</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Call You Out by Deryk</em>
</p><hr/><p>Draco laid awake in his bed, listening to the screams of his father as they reverberated around the Manor. It had been hours now, and the Dark Lord hadn't let up on his torture of the Death Eaters that had been sent to Xenophilius Lovegood to collect the information he was claiming to have had. When the Dark Lord ripped through his father's mind to see that Elara had been present as well as Potter, he had begun torturing the small group of men.</p><p>Draco had been forced to sit in a chair, bound by an <em>incarcerous,</em> and watch as Bellatrix and the Dark Lord had their fun. After three hours of watching his father writhe on the floor, covered in his own urine and vomiting onto the antique persian rug, Draco had been excused.</p><p>He hated them. He hated all of them with a passion that burned hotter than Fiendfyre. He hated the Dark Lord for poisoning the minds of so many people, for killing and torturing for the fun of it. For breeding these ideas of blood purity into the minds of wizards that were already predisposed to thinking they were better because of their blood. For corrupting those who didn't into thinking they were. He hated his aunt for the way she volunteered him for torture, volunteeered him to watch as she killed and dismemebered anything that stood in her way, laughing with sick glee as she did it. He hated his father for ever believing any of the rubbish ideals he was forced to protect. For allowing their family to be put in the situation they were in, for not admitting defeat and looking for help in places that may offer them safety.</p><p>He hated his father for spewing words of what "bloodline" and "heir" and "family" meant, but then allowing for his own heir to be tortured in front of him all hours of the day and night. To allow for his daughter, the only good in this merlin forsaken family, to be hunted like rabbit.</p><p>He rolled over as the screaming finally stopped, the sharp cracks of apparition sounding through the Manor as the executioners left the grounds. Draco folded the pillow over his head, trying to block out the sounds that were echoing around him. He closed his eyes and lost himself in his memories, trying to think of happier times, times where he felt safe and <em>normal</em>. Times where he wasn't so repulsed by his own existence.</p><p>Draco recalled a time, shortly after he and Elara had turned fourteen, before entering fourth year. Father had been at the Ministry and Mother was gone with Mrs. Goyle and Madam Zabini, buying new robes for some ball they were attending later that month. It was the end of June and Blaise and Goyle had stayed at the Manor with Ellie and himself. He had convinced Nimsy to let them eat themselves sick on sweets and then they went flying in through the back garden. They had played a two on two pickup game of Quidditch and gone for a swim in the pond. Well, Blaise, Greg, and himself had gone swimming. Ellie had sat in the shallow end, watching them all try to drown one another.</p><p>He wished he would have known then what he knew now, perhaps he would have appreciated the moment more while it was happening.</p><p>Draco jolted up when he heard the distinct pop of apparition in his bedroom. He looked around, his eyes adjusting to the low light and he saw Nimsy at the foot of his bed.</p><p>"Nimsy, is everything-</p><p>"Master Draco, Nimsy has come to tell you the prisoners have been fed and given water."</p><p>"Thanks, Nimsy." Draco said, sighing that it was nothing more pressing. He couldn't figure out a way to get the prisoners out of the cellar, but the least he could do was make sure they were at least given food and water. "Is that all?"</p><p>"Master Lucius wishes to speak with Young Master Draco in his study," the elf said.</p><p>"Let him know I'll be down in a moment," Draco said.</p><p>Nimsy disappeared with another pop and Draco sighed, climbing out of bed and slipping his feet into the soft pair of house loafers Elara had gotten him for Christmas two years ago. He didn't bother getting dressed, having heard their <em>guests</em> leave. Quickly, he made his way out of his room and down the hall to the staircase. He took the steps swiftly, and rounding the corner to the southwest wing of the house. He walked past the library and stopped at the door at the end of the hall.</p><p>His hand rested on the knob, knocking lightly.</p><p>"Come in," his father's quiet voice sounded from the other side.</p><p>Draco pushed open the door, shutting it softly behind him. When it clicked, he stepped further into the room and saw his father sitting in a chair, his right hand on his thigh, fingers splayed as he grasped it, massaging at the stiff muscle. In his left hand, a short crystal tumbler of amber liquid. He had cleaned himself up, his long platinum hair, the same shade of Draco's own, pulled back at the nape of his neck with an elastic. He was also wearing silk pajamas that were black with gold stitching. Draco chuckled quietly to himself, realizing this may have been one of the only times in his life he had seen his father in anything but his robes or a three piece suit.</p><p>"Father?" Draco asked, his eyebrow arched in question as he looked at the man.</p><p>"Draco," he said. "Have a drink with me."</p><p>Draco stepped further in the room, his brows pulling together in confusion. After his father's eyes met his, an urging look behind them, Draco nodded and grabbed the bottle from the end table, conjuring his own glass and pouring a bit of the liquor in it. Lucius knocked back the remaining liquid in his glass and held it out to Draco, raising it a bit in the air to motion for a refill.</p><p>Once Draco filled the glass half way, he set the bottle back on the end table and sat in the large wingback armchair across from his father.</p><p>"Cheers," Lucius said, raising the glass toward him before taking a long sip.</p><p>Draco stared at his father,blinking slowly a few times before bringing the glass to his lips and sipping. After several minutes of silence, the only sounds between them the ragged breath from Lucius as his body trembled from the aftershock of the rounds of <em>cruciatus</em> he had taken earlier that night, Draco cleared his throat. "Father?" he asked, "Why have you called for me?"</p><p>"I can't enjoy a drink with my own son?" Lucius replied, an eyebrow arching at Draco as his hand stilled on his thigh.</p><p>"It's not typical of you, so no."</p><p>Lucius puffed out a laugh and pursed his lips, nodding a bit before swallowing down the contents of his glass and reaching over to the end table for the bottle to refill it again. "I suppose you're right," Lucius said.</p><p>Draco shifted in his seat, crossing his legs at the knee and holding his glass of Firewhiskey in his lap, staring down at the liquid. "I assume there's a reason you-</p><p>"I saw her," Lucius breathed.</p><p>"I know," Draco said. "I was in the room as the Dark Lord went through your memories."</p><p>Lucius hummed, taking another long sip from his tumbler. "I saw her very briefly. A few seconds, at most. She was with Potter and his band of blood traiting, mudbloods."</p><p>The slightest slur of his Father's speech told him that Lucius must have had far more Firewhiskey than he usually indulged in. Which was saying something, considering the man was very rarely without a glass of Ogden's in his hand. "We knew she was with them," Draco said. "I'm not sure why you're surprised."</p><p>"I'm not surprised," Lucius spat. He sat up a little straighter in his chair, squaring his shoulders a bit, "She looked thin, unhealthy."</p><p>Draco snorted, bringing his own glass to his lips. "Pot calling the kettle black, isn't it?"</p><p>"Don't be smart with me, boy."</p><p>Draco rolled his eyes, settling his back into his chair. "What did you want me down here for? We're hardly close enough to be enjoying a drink together. If it were Mother, I would understand. But you?" Draco huffed and brought his glass to his lips again, gulping down the last of the liquor.</p><p>"I have worked my entire life to provide for you, to leave you with my legacy! I have given you a name that will hold respect and-</p><p>"Oh, will it?" Draco asked, bitterly. "Respect? To whom? The Dark Lord doesn't respect our name, not anymore at least. You no longer play a role in the politics of the Ministry. You're a wanted man by The Order of the Phoenix. What legacy, exactly, are you leaving me?"</p><p>Lucius narrowed his eyes, his jaw tightening as he ground his teeth together.</p><p>Draco snorted, leaning forward to grab the bottle and refill his glass. He took another sip and settled back into his chair. "I'm done," Draco said.</p><p>"Done?"</p><p>Draco nodded, "With all of this," he waved a hand through the air. "Nonsense. You may enjoy the idea of what a Pureblood society means, but I don't."</p><p>Draco watched as the weight of his statement fell over his father. He could see the rage burning behind Lucius' eyes as the man sat straighter in his chair, gripping the arm for support. "I have not endured the amount of <em>torture</em> by the hand of your aunt and the Dark Lord, for you to apostatize! You can not simply be <em>done</em>, Draco. That's not how this works!"</p><p>"That's how it worked for Ellie," Draco responded, his voice remaining even. "But it's different for her with you, isn't it? It always has been."</p><p>Lucious barked a humorless laugh, nearly spilling his Firewhiskey in the process. "Is that what this is?" He asked, "Sibling <em>jealousy</em>?"</p><p>"No," Draco answered. "I have nothing to be jealous of. You, however, do."</p><p>"I am not-</p><p>"No?" Draco interrupted, smirking as his father bristled. "The Dark Lord wants your <em>children</em>, but not you? Wants your daughter, almost as much as he wants Potter, and yet you sit in your own home without a wand, after being tortured at the hand of your sister-in-law to the point of evacuating your bladder on the marble floors. Your <em>Master</em> wants nothing for you but to watch you squeal beneath his fingers and to use your fortune to further himself. And you have the <em>audacity</em> to accuse me of petty sibling jealousy?"</p><p>Lucius was furious. His breath coming through his nose, his eyes wild with anger as he stared at Draco. He remained silent, so Draco continued.</p><p>"Has it occurred to you that Ellie is with Potter because she's intelligent enough to recognize what side of this is going to be victorious? Intelligent enough to understand that the ridiculous views you forced on us as children, will mean eradicating half the community and inbreeding the lines until they eventually die off as squibs anyway. The Dark Lord's agenda is antiquated at best and positively <em>insane</em> at worst. He is a power hungry, megalomaniac who preys on stupid people to do his bidding. And I, father, am <em>not</em> stupid."</p><p>"Words like this will get us killed. You're a fool if you think you can just walk away, Draco! The only reason Elara wasn't killed upon being sighted is because the Dark Lord wants to use her. You are of no <em>use</em> to him! He will show you no mercy!" Lucius said.</p><p>"If this is his <em>mercy</em>, I. Don't. Want. It."</p><p>Lucius jumped to his feet, stumbling sideways and yelping out in pain as his injured leg buckled beneath him. He gripped the side of the chair, reaching for his cane and wrapping his hand around the platinum serpent's head. "You," he said, pointing a thin, scarred finger at Draco. "You are an arrogant imbecile! I <em>expect</em> for Elara to be an issue, to never come to us willingly. But you took the mark, you knew-</p><p>"I was sixteen years old and forced to be branded at the hands of Bellatrix and The Dark Lord. I took it willingly so Ellie wouldn't have to, and look where it got her!" Draco stood up, holding his glass against his chest as he swept his arm in front of him. "She's out there, <em>still</em> bloody marked! Still being hunted! We lied for years to protect her and it did <em>nothing</em>! We sat by for years and did nothing, we did <em>nothing</em> to help her, except dig our own graves!"</p><p>"You defect, Draco and it will-</p><p>"I already have!" Draco hissed, "I've been part of the resistance at Hogwarts for <em>weeks</em>. I wasn't asking your permission, <em>Father</em>. I was informing you of the decision that has already been made."</p><p>"Insolent fool! You'll get us <em>all</em> killed!" Lucius roared.</p><p>Draco sneered, bringing his glass to his lips and swallowing down the remaining Firewhiskey. He slammed the bottom of the glass on the end table and walked toward the door. "We're already fucking dead," He shot back, looking over his shoulder for a moment before pushing the door open and exiting the room.</p><p>He took the stairs to his room, and pushed open the door, his chest feeling tight as his breath began to come in quick pants. <em>What have I done? </em>He thought, over and over. He paced the room, his hands tearing through his hair, pulling on his scalp as his heart beat furiously against his chest. He had just <em>admitted</em> to defecting. He had told his father, of all people, that he was working with the D.A. to form the resistance at Hogwarts. How could he be so stupid? He was going to be killed. The next time The Dark Lord shredded through his mind, or his father's mind, he would be killed. Luna would be killed. Blaise, Pansy, Theo, Neville, Cho… <em>Ginny</em>. They would all be murdered for his colossal fuck up. He felt sick.</p><p>"Draco,"</p><p>Draco spun on his heel, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he blinked several times, willing the hot tears building in his eyes to stay in place.</p><p>"F-Father?"</p><p>Lucius stepped further into the room, closing the door behind him. He limped to the bench at the foot of Draco's bed and sat, placing both hands atop one another on the head of his cane. His eyes found Draco's face and his features softened.</p><p>"I knew Elara would never follow the Dark Lord the way I have, the way your mother has," he began. "I never expected her to."</p><p>"But you expect me-</p><p>Lucius held up a hand, cutting him off. "I <em>groomed</em> you to take over my place as head of the Malfoy house. That meant upholding beliefs the Malfoy's have always stood for. I knew you would see it as your duty."</p><p>Draco stopped pacing, "I hate you," he whispered. "I don't say that as a petulant teenager. I truly hate everything you've done to uphold your <em>beliefs</em>. I hate what you've <em>done</em> to me, the position you put mum in. But for what you've done to Ellie? I hate <em>you</em> for that. Not your beliefs, not your actions. You."</p><p>Lucius closed his eyes, drawing in a shaky breath. "Get out, Draco." he whispered.</p><p>"Where am I to go? Hogwarts doesn't-</p><p>Lucius shook his head, "You misunderstand me. The Manor will <em>always</em> be your home, your vault will remain, your inheritance will remain."</p><p>"I don't… I don't follow."</p><p>"I am in too deep, Draco. It has been too long that I have been following the Dark Lord. I never wanted any of this for my family, for you."</p><p>Draco took a step forward, staring in disbelief as his father- his stoic and cold as frozen marble father, bared his soul in a shaking, drunken, whisper.</p><p>"Father, I don't… I don't understand," Draco admitted.</p><p>"It's too late for me, Draco." Lucius said, looking up and meeting his eyes, "Get out. Save yourself."</p><hr/><p>Weeks had passed leaving behind only fear for what had happened to the Lovegood's after their explosive exit, and unanswered questions of whatever the Deathly Hallows held. Harry and Ron spent hours talking about the possibilities of the individual hallows, debating the uses of each item ad nauseam. Hermione seemed to be willing to concede that, at the very least, the Invisibility Cloak could possibly be one of these elusive Hallows.</p><p>Elara had been on edge the entire week after departing from the Lovegood's; hoping that allowing her father and the other Death Eaters to witness Harry and herself would be enough to absolve Xenophilius of any doubt. Hoping that it would be enough to free Luna from the confines of the cellar under Malfoy Manor. She found herself often wondering if Draco knew that Luna was captive there, if he would do anything to help the girl. He certainly wasn't friends with her, but he had known her several years. Perhaps, he would at least find a way to sneak her some food and water?</p><p>She found herself sitting outside of the tent, her wand clutched in her hand as she kept watch. The sky was thick with clouds and there was little light from the stars to break through them. Harry and Hermione had gone to the nearby stream, under the Invisibility Cloak, to try and catch some fish. Ron was inside the tent, going through wizarding history books Hermione had in her bag trying to see if he could figure out where to look for the next Horcrux.</p><p>Elara pulled the thin blanket tighter around her shoulders, shivering as a gust of wind picked up and blew her hair back from her neck. Just as she was about to cast a charm for the little blue flames that Hermione had taught her, she felt the small, silver Sickle pressed against her chest grow hot. Her breath stuttered in her throat as she pulled the chain from under her jumper and looked down at the Sickle.</p><p>
  <em>I Defected</em>
</p><p>
  <em>DM</em>
</p><p>"Defected," she whispered, her brows furrowing together as she repeated the word.</p><p>
  <em>What?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>EM</em>
</p><p>She held the coin in her hand, waiting for the response. Draco hadn't sent her many messages, something she assumed had become some strange, silent agreement between them. Hermione hadn't told Harry or Ron about the Sickle, and neither had Elara. She didn't see the point in worrying them into thinking they would be tracked when she and Hermione <em>knew</em> the coin was untraceable.</p><p>Her heart raced. <em>Who knew</em>?! Who knew that he defected? Had he told them? Had he left the Manor to go on the run? Was Blaise with him? Pansy, or Theo? Had he decided to break Luna from the prison under the Manor and leave with her? How long had he been defected?</p><p>Question after question raced through her mind, her thoughts coming half formulated and a million miles a second.</p><p>There was no way he was home. If Draco was at the Manor and anyone knew he defected, he would be killed. He wasn't responding to her, and she could practically see the bored look on his face as he tried to figure out a way to get past the character limit on the coin to tell her that he wasn't going to repeat himself, that he <em>hated</em> having to repeat himself.</p><p>Elara shook her head and sent another message instead.</p><p>
  <em>Where R U?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>EM</em>
</p><p>Find out where he is. Find out if he's still at the Manor, if he is,they'll need to figure out how to get him out. If he's <em>truly</em> defected, he'll need protection. Perhaps someone from the Order can help? Elara knew how to get into Tonks cottage, she could apparate and see if maybe someone there could help her.</p><p>But then… Ted.</p><p>The thought of Ted made her stomach drop and roll in on itself. No, that certainly wasn't an option. She couldn't return to their cottage alive and look Andy and Dora in the eyes tell them she knew what happened to Ted, but she still needed their help. She <em>wouldn't</em> ask that of them.</p><p>
  <em>Hogwarts</em>
</p><p>
  <em>DM</em>
</p><p>Okay, so he was back at Hogwarts. That was good. That meant he was safe, for now. It didn't matter who knew at this point, if he was on Hogwarts grounds, he was safer than at the Manor. Maybe Snape would help protect him, he had been so keen to help last year. And if her idea was right, what she and Ted had worked out, then Snape was still on their side. Maybe he would help Draco? But then again, he must be terrified. Draco wouldn't have just randomly decided to tell her he defected unless he was afraid of what was going to happen to him.</p><p>
  <em>Who knows?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>EM</em>
</p><p>Draco wouldn't be telling her that he defected if there wasn't a good reason for it. He had to have told someone if he was worried about being killed for withdrawing from the ranks and changing sides. Had he even changed sides? Perhaps he would go to Emiliana Zabini and she could help him to neutral territory? Emiliana had been tortured, yes, but only because they thought she would know Elara's whereabouts. If she could get Draco out-</p><p>
  <em>Father</em>
</p><p>
  <em>DM</em>
</p><p>Elara stared down at the Sickle in her palm, her eyes growing wide and her heart sinking into her stomach. If their father knew, it was only a matter of time before the Dark Lord knew. She was thankful he was back at Hogwarts, but how much protection did that really offer him?</p><p>
  <em>I love you</em>
</p><p>
  <em>EM</em>
</p><p>What else could she possibly say? She wanted to offer help, to offer protection. She wanted to do something, <em>anything</em> that would get him away from the danger she knew he was in. But what could she do?</p><p>"All right, El?" Harry's voice called from a few meters away. He was pulling the cloak from around his and Hermione's shoulders and smiling, holding up three large fish on a thin wire.</p><p>Elara jumped to her feet, shoving the Sickle back under her jumper and catching Hermione's worried look. She nodded, giving a tight smile. "I'm fine," she assured them.</p><p>"There were loads of fish in that stream!" Harry said, leaning over to place a chaste kiss to her cheek before stepping into the tent. "We'll definitely be able to get more tomorrow."</p><p>"That's great, Harry!" Ellie said.</p><p>"Yeah it is," Harry set the fish in the basin by the table and turned to look at her, his brows knitting together. "It's really great. And you aren't very excited about the prospect of something other than nuts and berries, so what's wrong?"</p><p>"I am excited," Elara said.</p><p>"When we found mushrooms last week, you would have thought it was a Christmas Feast," Harry said, pulling his winter cloak off his shoulders and tossing it, and the Invisibility Cloak, onto the back of a chair. Ron looked up from the table, closing the book he had been reading.</p><p>"I'm fine, Harry."</p><p>"No, you aren't." Harry insisted, "What's wrong?"</p><p>Elara sighed, looking at Hermione and then back to Harry before quietly speaking. "Draco defected."</p><p>"What?" Harry and Ron, who was now standing from his seat, spoke in unison.</p><p>"How do you know?" Ron asked.</p><p>Elara sighed, pulling the chain from under her jumper to show them the Sickle.</p><p>"We messaged you!" Harry said, his face pinching together in hurt. "You had the Sickle the entire time and-</p><p>"No," Hermione interrupted him. "No, she didn't. That one is mine."</p><p>"What?" Harry asked, looking between Hermione and Elara.</p><p>"Snatchers found mine in Savernake Forest. Draco got it, I don't know how. We've been sending messages-</p><p>"You've been <em>what</em>?!" Ron said</p><p>"Ellie! If the Death Eaters find-</p><p>Hermione interrupted Harry, "They can't trace it, remember? We don't know how Mal-<em>Draco</em> got the coin, but he did. Sending an occasional message to her brother isn't going to be what gets us caught."</p><p>"Besides, it could help us," Elara said. "He's defected. He has to have information we can use and-</p><p>"<em>If</em> he's defected," Harry said, shooting her a stern look. "We can't go looking for him. They'll be tracking him!"</p><p>"But if he can help the Order-</p><p>"No, Ellie. I'm sorry," Harry said, shaking his head. "No. We can't risk it. I know he's your brother, but we can't risk bringing him here or going to him. If they haven't killed him already, they'll be looking to. And you know that. We're barely keeping on as it is, we can't risk it."</p><p>Elara closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "But Harry…" She said, biting into her lip to keep from crying.</p><p>"I'm sorry," Harry said. "Ellie, I'm sorry. But you know I'm right."</p><p>"I know."</p><p>"Besides," Ron said, moving from Harry's side and pulling her into a hug. "He should be back at Hogwarts now, right? Maybe he'll get help from someone there."</p><p>Knowing Draco, he wouldn't seek out help. He would <em>hopefully</em> keep his head down and just do what he was told to do and then stay in the Slytherin dorms the rest of the time to avoid any trouble. Draco was intelligent, he knew how to keep himself alive. He would be okay. She had to believe that he would be okay.</p><p>Elara sighed, returning Ron's embrace. She knew they were right, it would be foolish to look for Draco. But they <em>had</em> to understand how worried she was. Judging by the way Ron tightened his arms around her, he did. He had family in danger too, he understood. Even with as much as he hated Draco, he still tried to offer comfort. <em>This is your family too</em>, Elara reminded herself. <em>You have to keep them safe, too.</em></p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading! please leave a review! :)<br/>xo<br/>mimi</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0032"><h2>32. Chapter 32</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 32: Captured.</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>My Love Took Me Down To The River To Silence Me by Little Green Cars</em>
</p><hr/><p>As January gave way to February, and February slowly faded into March, the conditions within the tent had not grown to be any better than they had been the night Elara and Ron returned. There was still a tension between all of them, although it was more due to the fact that Ron talked incessantly about the Horcruxes and Harry was nearly <em>obsessed</em> with the prospect of the Hallows.</p><p>A few weeks prior, Harry had gotten it in his head that the snitch he was left would contain the Resurrection Stone. Elara understood, she <em>truly</em> did. He wanted the opportunity to use the stone, if it were real,to bring his parents back. To talk to his Godfather again. Elara understood that he had so much pain in his heart, so much he felt was missing without these people in his life.</p><p>But the <em>idea </em>of bringing someone back from the dead was dangerous. Let alone actually doing it. Elara was confident that in order to truly bring someone back from beyond, it required a few blood sacrifices and some really dark magic, types of magic that were kept in her father's personal library, the one she and Draco were absolutely <em>not</em> allowed inside of. The one that the Ministry had nearly cleaned out when her father had been arrested.</p><p>Elara and Hermione had both spent long nights explaining to Harry the repercussions something like the Resurrection stone would have, even going as far as pointing out the plot of the original story, when the brother hangs himself because his lost love is miserable back in this world.</p><p>The only thing more frustrating than trying to redirect Harry's obsessive thoughts of bringing his family back from the veil, was Ron and his overly optimistic positivity. Elara knew Ron was still trying to make up for how he had acted when the three of them were here before he walked out on them. Trying to be a beacon of hope and good things and trying to keep everyone in high spirits. She could usually appreciate it, she generally tried to stay positive and try to find answers with Ron.</p><p>But days like today, where Ron was completely consumed with the same things they had pulled apart every single way they could think of, all the while his fake optimism was offset by the anxiety of not having answers that simmered just below the surface… Well, Elara's temper became short.</p><p>If she thought living in close vicinity with them while at Grimmauld Place was exhausting, it was nothing compared to living in a tent with them.</p><p>A bright spot, most days however, was Hermione. She understood how Elara felt. She could talk to her about her worry for Harry and her irritation with Ron's fake cheerfulness. She could talk to Hermione about her brother and her fears for her family without being worried that she would be upset at her for being fearful. Hermione, in turn, was able to talk about her parents and her hopes that they were still safe and blissfully unaware in Australia. They had even begun reading through their limited library, looking for ways to reverse memory charms and had started taking down any useful information that could help them once they were in the position to get Mr. and Mrs. Granger's memories back.</p><p>It was just after six in the evening when Harry and Elara began walking back toward camp from a nearby town called Upper Flagely. They had left to follow a hunch that Ron had come up with, that a few murders had happened there over the years and perhaps Voldemort would return. Hermione hated when Harry and Elara went on their own, preferring one of them stay behind at camp and either herself or Ron go with whoever left, but Elara and Harry weren't gifted much alone time and Elara had <em>promised</em> that they would be careful and stay under the cloak the entire time.</p><p>As she felt the wards melt over them as they walked into the perimeter of camp, Elara pulled on the side of the cloak, taking it off from over them and handing it to Harry, who was <em>still</em> prattling on about the snitch and the Resurrection Stone and trying to convince her that the Hallows existed.</p><p>"...I just know it!" Harry was saying, dodging a low hanging branch. "I know it's in the snitch. I can feel it."</p><p>Elara sighed. It had been the same conversation for weeks now and while she had told him over and over why she didn't think the Resurrection stone was a good idea, she was growing tired of hearing him talk about it without having proof.</p><p>"Harry, darling-</p><p>"Don't call me darling," Harry said. "The only time you say 'darling' is when you're trying to tell me something in a way that will make me feel stupid."</p><p>Elara stopped in her tracks, sinking back against the tree and pulling on the sleeve of Harry's jumper so that he would follow. "I'm not saying you're stupid-</p><p>"But?"</p><p>She sighed again, "I just think sinking all of your energy into the thought that the stone is real and that it's in your pocket, is just… Well, it's a bit silly."</p><p>"Silly?" Harry said, his eyes narrowing. "Is it <em>silly</em> to want to see my parents? To want to see Sirius? Or Dumbledore? Or-</p><p>"No," Elara interrupted, holding her hands up to stop him. "No. It's not silly to want to see people you miss, Harry. It's silly to put so much effort into something that was written as a children's story."</p><p>"The Invisibility Cloak is real! We were under it just now! And you <em>and</em> Hermione agreed that there was proof of a powerful wand throughout history! Who's to say it's not the <em>same</em> wand?!"</p><p>Elara sighed again, pressing both her palms into his chest. "You feel this?" she thrummed her fingers against his chest and Harry nodded, "<em>This</em> is real, Harry. It's tangible. It's <em>proof</em>. I'm not saying that the Resurrection Stone can't exist, I'm saying there isn't any proof that it does and right now we have bigger things to worry about."</p><p>Harry huffed and pulled her hand away from his chest, pressing her fingertips to his lips, "I know," he said. "I know I need to figure out the Horcruxes-</p><p>"Not just you," she whispered. "<em>We</em> need to focus."</p><p>"Ellie, Harry! Is that you?" Hermione's voice came from a few meters away, where the camp was set up.</p><p>"Yeah," Harry called over his shoulder. "It's us. We'll be up in a minute!"</p><p>"Ron was able to find the new broadcast for <em>Potterwatch</em>!" Hermione informed them.</p><p>"We should go listen to it," Elara said.</p><p>Harry groaned, dropping his head onto her shoulder and turning his face to kiss her neck. "The lack of privacy while living in a tent is maddening."</p><p>Elara chuckled, twisting her head to the side and pushing her throat to his lips. "I know," she said. "But a few months of no privacy will be worth it in the long run, don't you think?"</p><p>Harry grunted, nipping at the juncture of her throat and collar bone, "I guess."</p><p>She rolled her eyes and gave him a light shove to push him away from her and toward the tent. "And people have said the Malfoy's are dramatic... They've clearly not met Harry Potter."</p><p>Harry barked a laugh, grabbing her hand and lacing their fingers together. When they entered the tent, Harry fell into the open chair and pulled Elara into his lap as they listened to Lee Jordan, River, talk about the attacks on muggle villages, leaving over a dozen people dead.</p><p>Elara felt Harry's arms tighten around her as Remus began speaking, giving words of encouragement and advice, telling Harry that if he was listening to follow his intuition. Kingsley got on and spoke about helping muggles and taking care of any muggle neighbors in the surrounding area. A sharp intake from both Elara and Ron came when Fred began speaking.</p><p>"It could be George!" Hermione said.</p><p>"No, that's definitely Fred," Ron said. "His voice is a little higher than George's."</p><p>Elara nodded in agreement, " He's right. Plus, George casts the broadcast disruption charms while they air. That way the broadcast can't be tracked. He has to do it for the duration of the-</p><p>"Shh!" Harry said, "Listen!"</p><p>"<em>Well of course, who wouldn't want a Holiday after all the effort he's put in? The Chief Death Eater has last been sighted from a reputable source in Northern Germany and-</em></p><p>"He's out of the country?" Hermione asked, looking at Harry. "Why would he-</p><p>"He's looking for it!" Harry said, jumping up so quickly that Elara toppled from his lap and onto the floor. "He's looking for the Deathstick! Ron and I <em>knew</em> it! I tried to tell you! Vol-</p><p>"Harry! <em>NO!</em>" Ron, Hermione, and Elara cried out in unison.</p><p>"-Demort is looking for the Hallows!"</p><p>"The Taboo!" Elara said, "Harry the taboo! You've just-</p><p>She was cut off by the distinct cracks of apparition. Four popping sounds came from outside of the tent.</p><p>"There's too many of them," Hermione whispered furiously. "There's too many. If they-</p><p>"Come out!" Scabior's voice rang loudly from outside. "We've got you surrounded, no use in trying anything."</p><p>Ron looked at Elara, fear thrumming through him as he recognized the voices that began yelling countercurses to undo their protection charms.</p><p>"<em>Fuck!" </em>Ron said, "<em>Fuck</em>! What do we do?! Where can we apparate?!"</p><p>"Scatter and meet back at the first camp?" Harry said, "Hermione, take Ellie with you so she can get there. Go!"</p><p>Elara scrambled to her feet and grabbed Hermione's hand. She felt the crushing of her lungs as Hermione tried to apparate, but her feet remained planted.</p><p>"No!" Hermione cried, "No! They've put up anti-apparition wards!"</p><p>"What do we-</p><p>Harry's voice was cut off as Hermione threw a hex at his face, scooping his glasses off the ground and shoving them into his pocket. She grabbed her tiny beaded bag and shoved Ron toward Elara</p><p>"Hide!" she said, "Take Ellie and go! Hide somewhere! I can't let Harry stay alone and they won't kill me if I've got information!"</p><p>"Hermione, no!" Ron said.</p><p>"Now!" Harry said, "Now, Ron! Please! <em>Please</em> get out! Get her out!"</p><p>Harry shoved Ron and Elara backward, and Elara dropped back to all fours, scrambling under the camp bed. Harry began arguing with Ron to hide and Elara gasped as she felt the last of the wards drop from around them.</p><p>"Ron!" Hermione begged.</p><p>Ron gave one last scathing look at both Harry and Hermione before dropping down to crawl under the bed. Before he could situate himself next to Elara, however, Fenrir Greyback's large hand wrapped around Ron's calf, yanking him backward. Ron's forefinger flew up to his mouth, pressing against his lips in a quick motion to ask Elara to remain silent.</p><p>"What have we got here?" Scabior's voice filled the room.</p><p>"Dinner," Greyback said, a low laugh rumbling through him. "Look at this one, so pretty. I like when they're young like this. So soft. They always taste better."</p><p>"No!" Ron said, "Leave her alone!"</p><p>"Trying to play hero? As if I didn't just drag you out from under the bed…"</p><p>"What's happened to your face?" Scabior said, "Ugly bloke, aren't you?"</p><p>"I was stung."</p><p>"Hopefully that's true. It'd be unfortunate to walk around with that horrible mug all the time. Better hope your name isn't on my list ugly."</p><p>"It's Vernon," Harry said. "Vernon Dudley."</p><p>"Better take him to the Ministry," another voice came. "It's not on the list. Give the girl to Greyback and-</p><p>Elara's heart hammered in her chest as she scrambled out from under the bed. "NO!" She yelled. "No! You <em>will not</em> give her to Greyback. In fact, you won't be doing anything with anyone!"</p><p>"Who the hell-</p><p>The man's voice was cut off when Scabior's eyes found Elara, growing wide as pained fear tore through him. He took a few steps back and looked at the large snatcher next to him, the one Elara recognized from the alley.</p><p>"You know who I am-</p><p>"Ellie, no!" Hermione said.</p><p>"You know who my family is. Take us to them. Take us to Malfoy Manor, collect your cash and get out." Elara said, ignoring Hermione and offering her wand in surrender. "Don't hurt them."</p><p>Scabior's eyes narrowed as he ripped Elara's wand from her palm. "How do I know you won't-</p><p>"You don't," she interrupted. "You'll just have to trust that I won't turn your brain into soup. Is your fear worth more than the price on my head?"</p><p>Scabior seemed to contemplate it for a long moment before looking at Greyback. "Tie them up," he said. "We'll take them to Malfoy Manor."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey all! Thanks for reading!<br/>In the spirit of transparency, I wanted to let you all know that the first week of September, I will be dropping down to updating this story once a week, as I begin to upload my new story. It may or may not stay that way, I haven't decided. I'll figure it out as I go, depending on how much I get prewritten. Thanks for reading, and please drop a review!<br/>xo</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Chapter 33</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 33: It's a Copy!</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Devil's Backbone by The Civil Wars</em>
</p><hr/><p> </p><p>The fear pulsing in the air around them was so thick, Elara could hardly breathe. She gasped as her knees hit the cobblestone pathway leading up to the gates of her childhood home.</p><p>"Why?" Hermione hissed, "Ellie, why would you-</p><p>"My father isn't going to kill me or torture me. If I can get us into the Manor, I can <em>make</em> them let us go. If we go to the Ministry, we'll all be killed or tortured. I'm sorry, Hermione. It's the first thing I could think to do."</p><p>"Shut up!" Greyback said, with a sharp shove to the back of Elara's head. The motion forced her to knock into the back of Hermione's skull and both girls winced. Greyback gave a low chuckle and tightened the binds around their wrists. "This better be worth it, Scabior. Bringing this lot to Malfoy is gonna get us killed if it doesn't pan out."</p><p>"Do you have any idea who I am?!" Elara shouted, mustering up as much Malfoy arrogance in her tone as she could, while tied up and shoved. "I am the <em>daughter</em> of Lucius Malfoy, you buffoon! I trust you at least have enough sense in that <em>disgustingly</em> thick skull to understand what that means?"</p><p>Greyback's eyes lingered on her for a minute before narrowing, a sly smirk tugging his lips to reveal pointed, yellow teeth. "I have a feeling it means I'll be eating <em>fabulously</em> tonight."</p><p>Another wave of terror sent a lock to her spine and she struggled to breathe. Hermione <em>needed</em> to calm down. She was terrified, and in such close vicinity to Elara, nearly touching, Elara could hardly think straight to figure out a plan.</p><p>She was not guaranteed amnesty just for being a Malfoy. At least, not anymore. At one point, her name may have guaranteed she would not be harmed, but knowing how far her father had fallen, knowing that Draco had defected… There was a good chance she had just sent all four of them to their deaths. Elara had just decided to drop Harry into Voldemort's waiting palm. She could feel her own panic coiling inside of her chest, squeezing her throat almost as tightly as the bruising restraints around her wrists.</p><p>They approached the gate and Scabior pulled Elara from the line, shoving her to the front with a wicked smile on his face, "We found the Malfoy brat," he said. "We're here for our reward."</p><p>The gates opened and Scabior gave Elara a rough shove, nearly toppling her over. She stumbled forward, trying to calm herself down. So many things could go wrong right now. So many things could get them killed. She couldn't let that happen, no matter what, she could <em>not</em> let them be killed. There was still too much to do. As she tripped up the stairs to the landing before the front door, she prayed that the Dark Lord was still out of the country and if anything, they could buy a little time and figure out a way to get out.</p><p>It was Nimsy, who opened the door. Her usually impeccable clothing was filthy, covered in grime and dried blood. The poor elf looked exhausted as she scanned the faces of the men.</p><p>"Mistress Bellatrix will…" Nimsy trailed off, her enormous blue eyes landing on Elara. "Young Miss?"</p><p>"Hi, Nimsy." Elara whispered.</p><p>"Young Miss! Oh, how <em>happy</em> Nimsy is! Oh, young Miss! How <em>happy</em> Master will be!"</p><p>"Quiet, Elf!" Scabior said, shoving Nimsy to the side. "Where is your Master?'</p><p>"Don't hit her!" Elara hissed.</p><p>She flinched when she heard Greyback laugh, his hand curling on her shoulder as he gave her a hard shove forward. "Mind your tone,girl. Or I'll be tempted to show you what caring about creatures means."</p><p>"Don't touch her!" Harry said, "Keep your hands-</p><p>"Well, would you look at that!"</p><p>Harry's voice died in his throat and fear iced over in Elara's veins as she heard the high-pitched cackle of her Aunt reverberate around the room. Bellatrix's heeled boots clicked against the marble floor, echoing in the foyer.</p><p>"If it isn't my <em>favorite</em> niece," she said. "You've been a very naughty little girl this year, Elara."</p><p>"We found her with a blood-traitor and the mudblood, Madame." Scabior said, "And this ugly bloke. Said he's a halfblood."</p><p>Bellatrix's eyes lit up as a manic type of excitement pierced through the fear in the room. "Is that so?"</p><p>"Reward said one hundred thousand Galleons, Madame," Scabior said, his voice going soft as Bellatrix's crazed gaze landed on him. "We've brought the girl and-</p><p>He was interrupted by the sound of metal clanging against the ground. The large Snatcher held Hermione's bag in his hand, dumping its contents on the floor. Fury tore through Bellatrix as her eyes landed on the object that created the interruption. Her hand shot out, fingers twisting through Elara's hair as she yanked her head closer to her face, her eyes scanning her.</p><p>"Where did you get that?" Bellatrix hissed.</p><p>"I don't know," Elara said.</p><p>"Liar!" The back of Bellatrix's knuckles cracked against Elara's cheek bone. She shoved Elara hard and looked at Harry, reaching out to grab him by the top of his head, pulling his face up to look at her. With her wand in hand, she used it to shove the hair from Harry's face.</p><p>"What happened to you?"</p><p>"Stung," Harry responded.</p><p>"I bet you were," Bellatrix laughed. "Nimsy!"</p><p>A soft pop sounded through the room and Nimsy appeared, looking up at Elara apologetically before turning to Bellatrix. "Mistress?"</p><p>"Get your Master."</p><p>Nimsy disappeared again and Bellatrix sent a hex at the man holding the bag, sending him to the ground as he cried out in pain. She dropped her hold on Harry's head and crossed the room swiftly, snatching up the sword of Gryffindor and blasting a painful looking hex at the man on the ground.</p><p>"Get out!" She screamed at the Snatchers, "Get out now!"</p><p>"But Madame our- ARGHH!" Scabior screamed in agony as Bellatrix sent a curse at him. He crumpled to the ground in pain.</p><p>"You'll get your <em>reward</em>!" she shrieked, raising her wand above her head. "You will <em>leave</em> and I-</p><p>"Bellatrix, not in the foyer. The marble had just been waxed."</p><p>Elara's head snapped to the side and she saw her father standing a few steps away. He was relying heavily on his cane, the head of the serpent clutched tightly as he staggered toward Bellatrix. His eyes roamed over them before landing on Elara.</p><p>Elara could see the breath hitch in his throat, watching as his adam's apple bobbed around a swallow. His red-rimmed eyes tracing her face as he steadied his breath, his jaw clenched tight.</p><p>He opened his mouth to say something and as he did, Bellatrix grabbed Harry's head again, forcing him to his knees and pulling his head lifted his fringe and looked at Lucius.</p><p>"Look familiar, Lucy?" she asked, her voice vibrating with excitement.</p><p>"It must be him," Lucius said, his eyes lingering on Harry's forehead. "Elara, is it-</p><p>"No," Elara answered quickly. "No. His name is Vernon. He was on the run, we caught up with him in Upper Flagely."</p><p>Lucius' eyes pulled away from Harry, staring at Elara. <em>Disbelief. Fear. Confusion. Anger.</em> He didn't believe her. Of course, he didn't. He had <em>known</em> Harry was with her. Had seen him at Xenophilius Lovegood's home. But he still acted like he had no idea, like he couldn't remember what Harry looked like or that Hermione and Ron had been with them. Her father was <em>not</em> an idiot. He <em>knew</em> this was Harry.</p><p>"Bella, perhaps you could unbind Elara," A soft voice came from the doorway and Elara felt her knees go weak.</p><p>Narcissa stepped into the foyer, her midnight blue robes sweeping behind her in a way that Elara had always found to be beautiful, regal, almost. She looked thin, frail. And she was <em>terrified</em>; fear pulsed through her almost as strongly as it was pulsing through Hermione and Ron.</p><p>"And give the little bitch an excuse to use her mind games on me?" Bellatrix barked out a loud laugh, "I think not. No Cissy, I think I will leave her bound until the Dark Lord comes to claim her."</p><p>"Please, Bella. My <em>daughter</em>-</p><p>Bellatrix's hand left Harry's hair and twisted its way back into Elara's, yanking her onto the tip of her toes with a cry of pained shock. "Your <em>daughter</em> is traitor, Cissy!"</p><p>Elara writhed in pain, her scalp screaming as Belltrix tightened her grip.</p><p>"Please, Bella." Narcissa begged.</p><p>"Get Draco," she hissed. "We'll let <em>him</em> deal with her."</p><p>"No!" Elara cried out.</p><p><em>Why is he here?! Why is Draco here?!</em> Elara felt panic rise into her throat, her airway constricted as she tried to breathe. He was supposed to be at Hogwarts. <em>He said he was at Hogwarts</em>. If he truly defected and he's here, that could not mean anything good. It meant it was only a matter of time before he was killed. Or… Or until they forced him to kill her to reinstate his allegiance.</p><p>Her stomach dropped to her feet. Voldemort was <em>obviously</em> not against making her brother torture her. Would he have him kill her? <em>Or would she be used to kill him?</em> The thought made her stomach roll in on itself and she was grateful they hadn't been able to find any substantial food in the last few days, otherwise she was certain it would have ended up on her trainers.</p><p>Elara twisted her head the best she could with her hair wrapped in Bellatrix's hand. She looked at Harry and her thoughts clicked together. If he got out, it didn't matter what she was forced to do or even what was done to her. If she could get Harry, Ron, and Hermione out <em>alive</em>, they could continue on without her. They could find the Horcruxes and destroy them and <em>end this</em>.</p><p>Elara began laughing, it was so easy. All she had to do was distract them enough. Distract her absolutely <em>mental</em> aunt enough to get Nimsy to get help. Nimsy's magic worked different, it was why Dobby had been able to apparate around Hogwarts and keep watch on-</p><p><em>Dobby</em>.</p><p>Her mind began racing. If Nimsy and Dobby could apparate within the Manor and Hogwarts, who was to say they couldn't take people with them? To apparate them back into Hogwarts… Perhaps they could find safety within the school? Or maybe get into contact with The Order if Professor McGonagall was there.</p><p>Elara hissed in pain as Bellatrix continued screaming at Hermione, wanting to know where she got the sword, slicing into Elara's scalp as she yanked her head with every shrieking word she forced through her lips.</p><p>"Why are you so worried about it?!" Elara said. <em>Distract. Take the narrative off of Hermione. Get them out. Get them out. Get them out.</em> "Do you honestly believe we would waste our time in <em>your</em> vault?! My personal allowance vault is probably four times the size of yours. Why would we need to risk <em>breaking into Gringotts</em> for your gold?"</p><p>"Stupid girl!" Bellatrix hissed, pulling Elara's head back so far she was now staring up at the vaulted ceiling. "It is none of your business what is in my vault!"</p><p>"You mean to look me in the eye and tell me you aren't concerned about it?" Elara goaded. <em>If she would just look at me I could take her down!</em></p><p>"Look you in the… <em>Oh</em>, you clever <em>cheeky</em> girl." Bellatrix struck Elara with the back of her hand and pushed the tip of her wand into the space between her eyes. "If the Dark Lord didn't want you for himself, I would kill you right now. Slowly and very, very painfully."</p><p>Elara opened her mouth to tell Bellatrix <em>exactly</em> what she could do with that threat when the shattering of a glass pulled her attention to the side.</p><p>"Elara?" Draco's voice shook and Elara felt terror pierce her, sharper than any fear she had felt already today.</p><p>Bellatrix cackled, twisting Elara around by the head, her neck in a painfully unnatural angle. "Nephew!" Bellatrix cooed, the screech of her voice causing the sickening feeling to tighten in her stomach. "Good of you to join us, Draco. Your sister has decided to align herself with mudbloods and blood traitors. Tell u, this boy-" finally, Bellatrix released Elara's scalp and she gasped as she fell forward. "This boy is Harry Potter, is it not?"</p><p>Elara stared at Draco, his eyes lingering on her. <em>Please, please Draco. Please</em>. She begged in her head, over and over, pleading with her eyes, <em>Don't confirm him.</em> Lucius' hand clasped around the back of Draco's neck and Elara saw the crystal tumbler of Firewhiskey in his other hand.</p><p>"Look closely, Draco." Lucius said, pushing Draco's face a bit closer to Harry. She saw Lucius' lips move a fraction of an inch as he whispered something into Draco's ear.</p><p>"I-I don't… What's wrong with his face? Why's his face all messed up?" Draco asked, his eyes darting back to Elara.</p><p>"Stung," Harry said. "I was stung."</p><p>"I can't… I don' t know. With his face all messed up-</p><p>"You've gone to school with the boy for six years, Draco! You don' t know his voice?!" Bellatrix screamed.</p><p>"Precisely," Narcissa's quiet voice came from behind Bellatrix. "So if it were, don't you think Draco would instantly recognize him, Bella? Perhaps we just turn them into the Ministry and allow Yaxley and Dolohov the pleasure of arresting the blood traitors and mudblood. The Dark Lord will be most pleased with Elara's arrival and we can call-</p><p>"They were in my vault, and I want to know why!" Bellatrix screamed, "We will call the Dark Lord <em>after</em> I get my answers! Draco take them to the cellar with the others, I think I'll keep the mudblood here. We can have a little <em>chat</em>."</p><p>"Bella, surely you'll allow Elara-</p><p>"<em>All of them</em> to the cellar," Bellatrix hissed, glaring at Narcissa as she spoke.</p><p>Harry pulled himself off his knees and Draco rushed over to Elara, pulling her off the floor by her elbows and giving a light shove to Ron.</p><p>"NO!" Ron screamed as Draco nudged him forward. "NO! YOU CAN'T KEEP HER! DON'T HURT HER!"</p><p>Bellatrix answered with a loud bark of laughter as she roughly grabbed the back of Hermione's head, shoving her forward and toward the drawing room.</p><p>"Shut up, Weasel!" Draco hissed, "Shut the fuck up."</p><p>"Fuck you, ferret! What are they going to do to her?! She's done nothing wrong! They can take me! TAKE ME YOU COWARDS!" Ron bellowed.</p><p>"Ron, be quiet!" Elara whispered, "Ron <em>please</em>! We have to figure out a way out. Please be quiet!"</p><p>Ron continued to yell obscenities and threats as Draco shoved him forward and down the cellar stairs. When they entered the chamber, a man Elara had <em>seen</em> before, but couldn't place the name, was standing near the door, guarding it.</p><p>"Out of my way, Pettigrew!" Draco hissed, "I've got the lot. Go away."</p><p>"I was told not to leave-</p><p>"<em>I'm</em> telling you to get the fuck out!" Draco hissed, "Go. Away. <em>Rat</em>."</p><p>Pettigrew shifted nervously before giving a sharp nod and heading up the stairs. The minute the door slammed shut, Ron rounded on Draco and charged forward, catching him in the chest with his shoulder and tackling him to the ground.</p><p>"You were supposed to be defected, you lying piece of absolute hippogriff shit!" Ron said, launching forward to headbutt Draco.</p><p>"Ron!" Elara cried, "Ron, stop it!"</p><p>"And you!" Ron whirled around on his knees staring at Elara, his arms still bound behind his back. "How <em>could</em> you?! How could you bring us here?! They're going to-</p><p>Ron was interrupted as a blood curdling scream echoed from upstairs.</p><p>"NO!" Ron screamed, "NO! THEY'RE GOING TO KILL HER! DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND THAT?! THEY'RE HURTING HER! HERMIONE! HERMIONE!"</p><p>"RON!" Elara said, "<em>Please</em>!" she turned to look at Draco, who was nursing what looked to be a very busted lip. "Do you mind?!" she said, shaking her shoulders around at him. "I can't do <em>anything</em> if I'm bound?!"</p><p>Draco pulled himself off the ground and waved his wand, cutting through the binds on Elara's wrists before moving over to Harry and cutting his binds off as well. "I should leave you bound on the ground, Weasel." Draco said, spitting blood on the ground in Ron's direction as he cast a <em>diffindo</em> that cut through the ropes on Ron's wrists, as well as the delicate skin.</p><p>"Fuck you!" Ron said, wincing as he surveyed his bleeding arms. "I knew you were fucking useless! I knew you wouldn't have really def-</p><p>Elara ran to Ron, clapping her hand over his mouth. "Ronald, if you don't stop talking, I'm going to kill you myself. Shut. Up."</p><p>"But he-</p><p>"Ron," Harry finally spoke. "Stop talking." Harry turned, digging in his pocket. He pulled out his glasses and shoved them on his face. "You didn't identify me. You <em>clearly</em> know who I am."</p><p>Draco shrugged, "You obviously know where I stand, now."</p><p>"And so do I."</p><p>Elara felt him too late. The strange mix of observant curiosity that pulsed through the room, that was attached to the squirrely man standing in the corner. A wicked smile spread over Pettigrew's face as he sniffed a few times, his tongue swiping across his lips in a nervous gesture to wet them.</p><p>"I told them," Pettigrew said, "I told them not to trust you. I knew you would turn on them. I knew you would never have what it takes to follow the Dark Lord into victory."</p><p>"You have a lot of nerve to talk about turning on someone," Harry hissed, taking long strides toward Pettigrew, backing him further into the wall where he stood. "You wouldn't know loyalty if it hit you."</p><p>"Harry, who is-</p><p>"Peter Pettigrew," Harry spat. "The rat who sold out my parents. The one who made sure Sirius ended up in prison for their deaths."</p><p>"The one who will be at the right hand of the Dark Lord when he wins. When he becomes victorious and-</p><p>"Fuck off, Pettigrew. You're a glorified house elf and you know it," Draco said. "Shouldn't you be making Bella's tea?"</p><p>"You arrogant little brat!" Pettigrew hissed, "You think because of your name you can-</p><p>"I think because we are in <em>my</em> house, I can say whatever the hell I want. Now turn around and go upstairs."</p><p>"I was told to retrieve the Goblin to see what has taken you so long. But I'll just return and tell them you've defected. I'm sure your aunt will be <em>pleased</em> to hear her nephew is a blood traitor."</p><p>"I will cut out your tongue!" Draco said, shouldering past Harry and shoving the tip of his wand into Pettigrew's throat. "You don't know what you're talking about. You heard <em>nothing</em>!"</p><p>"I hear <em>everything</em>," with a quirk of his lip Pettigrew pulled his wand, pressing it into the underside of Draco's chin. "<em>Crucio</em>."</p><p>Draco dropped to the ground and began writhing, his breaths came in heavy pants and Elara could see his teeth breaking through his bottom lip.</p><p>"Stop!" Elara cried, "Stop! He didn't do anything! He didn't do anything to you!"</p><p>Pettigrew turned his wand on Elara and before a word could leave his lips Elara saw Ron and Harry surge forward, smashing into Pettigrew. Harry shoved Elara aside in the scuffle and she fell to her knees next to Draco, pulling his head into her hands and checking him over.</p><p>"Are you okay?" she asked him.</p><p>"The Carrow's <em>cruciatus</em> made that feel like a pin prick," Draco said, huffing a dry laugh. "I'll be fine."</p><p>"NO PLEASE! I DON'T KNOW! WE'VE ONLY JUST MET HIM TONIGHT! PLEASE!" Hermione's voice came crying from above them and Elara noticed Ron tense as he curled his fingers into Pettigrew's shirt.</p><p>The moment of slack on Harry's part was used to Pettigrew's advantage as the silver hand on the man reached up to Harry's throat, his hand closing against his windpipe. Elara looked up from Draco's face to see Harry's going red, a sickening gagging sound coming from his throat as he pried at the silver fingers crushing his trachea.</p><p>"Let go!" Ron said, pounding his fists into Pettigrew's side.</p><p>The man's opposite hand pressed the tip of his wand into Ron's chest and he cast a silent stunner, sending Ron across the room.</p><p>"After I spared your life," Harry sputtered, the words coming out in strangled gasps. "You owe me, Peter!"</p><p>"Stop!" Elara cried, "Please! Stop! You're killing him!"</p><p>A gurgling sound came from Harry as his eyes began to water and Elara stood up, launching herself forward and pressing her hands into Pettigrew's temples and forcing his eyes to catch hers.</p><p>"No!" Draco said, scrambling to his feet and grabbing onto Elara's elbow to pull her away. "No! Ellie you <em>can't</em>!"</p><p>"Get off me!" she said, shoving him away from her. "Get off! He's killing him!"</p><p>Draco grabbed Elara's shoulder and she whipped around, her own fear pulsing through her as she felt Harry's leave his body, his inner fire dying as Pettigrew squeezed it from his lungs. She grabbed Draco's chin and forced his face to her level so she could look at him.</p><p>"Ellie! No! What're you-</p><p>"I'm sorry!" she said, "But he's killing Harry! He's going to kill him!"</p><p>She clenched her jaw and stared into Draco's eyes, spearing through his mind and tearing through his emotions. She pulled up the first one she could find that wasn't fear or anger, nothing that could fuel him into doing something stupid. <em>Sadness</em>, sadness she could fix later. She ripped the card from the rolodex in his head, shoving it into place and felt tears wet her cheeks as he stared at her in shock before falling to his knees, choking on his own sobs as his sadness overtook him.</p><p>Elara turned as Harry's face turned purple and she grabbed Pettigrew's face. What would hurt this terrible man? A man who would betray his friends, have them kill for even the tiniest modicum of praise. A man who had stepped on toes and ridden coattails to get where he was.</p><p><em>Remorse</em>.</p><p>Elara found it buried deep within the dusty back of Peter Pettigrew's mind. Buried under decades of repression and false justification. It was small, but it was enough. She shoved it to the forefront of his mind and sneered at the man as he looked in horror at her, his eyes growing wide as he loosened his grip on Harry's throat.</p><p>The silver hand slackened enough for Harry to fall from his grip on all found, coughing and gulping for air. Elara stepped into his place and stared at Pettigrew, narrowing her eyes in disgust as she watched him begin to crumble.</p><p>"All of the things you've done, and I had to dig remorse from the back of your head. That's the one you most fear? Feeling <em>sorry</em> for the horrors you've caused? You're disgusting." Elara hissed, her face close enough to his that she watched as flecks of spit hit his cheeks. "You're foul. You don't deserve to have any rank on either side. You deserve for the sliver of your soul that remains, to be sucked from your body by Dementors as you <em>rot</em> in that prison."</p><p>"Ellie, stop!" Harry choked, "Ellie!"</p><p>"You have caused so much pain, you spineless cockroach of a man. And I hope this feeling you're experiencing right now, I hope it kills you."</p><p>"It's going to!" Draco sobbed, "Ellie, stop!"</p><p>
  <em>Too late.</em>
</p><p>It was too late when she noticed his own hand wrapped around his throat. Too late, after she spewed her hate fueled words of disgust at the man, did she realize the silver hand had turned on him for feeling the regret she was forcing him to feel. Elara gasped, dropping her hand from his face and blinking several times.</p><p>"Ellie!" Harry said, shoving into her and trying to pry Pettigrew's fingers from his throat. "Do something!"</p><p>"I can't!" Elara said, "I didn't do this! I just made him feel sorry for what he'd done!"</p><p>"Well, it's killing him!" Harry said.</p><p>Ron pulled himself off the ground and nudged Elara out of the way and began pulling at Pettigrew's arm with Harry, trying to get the man's grip to release from his own throat. Elara watched in horror as his beady eyes bulged and his face went purple, the vein in forehead throbbing as he choked and gasped for air.</p><p>"What can counteract it?!" Harry shouted over his shoulder, "Make him feel something that will counteract it!"</p><p>"Th-there's nothing!" Elara stammered, "There's nothing that I can do!"</p><p>"I'm sorry, Harry." Pettigrew ground out as his eyes fell on Harry's face, "I n-never meant f-for it to b-be J-james who…"</p><p>His breath stopped and after a few moments, his grip slackened and he slumped against Harry. The sudden weight against him caused Harry to stumble and Pettigrew fell to the ground. His chest still and his eyes unblinking.</p><p>Elara stared at Pettigrew's limp body in shock. She couldn't move, she felt rooted to the spot as if her feet were made of lead. Her chest felt hollow, and suddenly so full she couldn't breathe. The blood rushed in her ears, muting every sound around her and her vision blurred, bright white spots peppering the scene of the man dead on the ground at her feet.</p><p>The man she had killed.</p><p>"...ay?"</p><p>It felt like slow motion as she pulled her eyes off of Pettigrew and stared at Harry. As if there were a delay in the action, her brain was not processing it right away. Finally, she realized he was talking to her when he motioned to Draco on the ground. Her eyes flitted to her brother who was still sobbing, crying out in anguish as his sorrow continued to consume him.</p><p>"...him! Ellie! You have to help him!" Harry said, his hands grasping her arms just above her elbows as he gave her a gentle shake.</p><p>She stared at him, her lips slightly parted as she struggled to breathe under the weight of the dead man on the ground. She could see a purple hand print rapidly bruising on Harry's throat. Elara shook her head a bit, trying to get her bearings.</p><p>"Ellie! Your brother! You need to-</p><p>"I killed him," she whispered, blinking slowly as her vision cleared and her eyes pulled up to meet Harry's. "Harry… I-I killed him."</p><p>"He killed himself, Ellie. Please, help your brother! He needs help!"</p><p>"<em>Please! I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry! Please forgive me!"</em> Draco sobbed.</p><p>Elara looked to Draco and saw him shaking as he cried, locked in his own mind in the fortress of hopelessness she had created for him. She had done this to him. She had killed a man and she was torturing her brother with his own emotions.</p><p>"Harry I-</p><p>It was Ron, who grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. He grabbed the sides of her face and forced her to look at him. "Listen to me, Ellie," Ron said. "What just happened was <em>fucked</em> up. But we don't have time for it right now. Hermione is <em>dying</em> upstairs. Can you hear her screaming?"</p><p>Elara nodded, she could. Of course, she could. She could hear Hermione's screams echoing through the Manor the same way she could hear the <em>crucios</em> being casted at her. She could feel the agony that Hermione was feeling, the frenzied hysteria of Bellatrix.</p><p>"We have to help her. You brought us here, you had a reason. What was your reason?"</p><p>Finally, it was as if Ron had reached past the shock and the numbed hollow of her mind and ripped her determination forward. Reminding her that her best friend, <em>her sister</em>, was upstairs being tortured was apparently the motivation she needed. She gave a terse nod to Ron and took a few deep breaths before turning back toward Draco and kneeling down beside him.</p><p>"Coco," she whispered, reaching out to him. "Coco, look at me."</p><p>His red rimmed, silver eyes met hers and she held his face in her hand. She tried to push a soft smile toward him as she gently carded through his mind, calming him with pleasant feelings of happiness and content.</p><p>"Better?"</p><p>"Thank you," Draco whispered.</p><p>Elara stood back up and dusted the knees of her trousers off. "You need to go back up there and help Hermione," she said. "You have to do something to help her, Draco."</p><p>"Bellatrix taught me Occlumency and Legilimency a bit. I can try to block the curse off, at least help that way. If I intervene-</p><p>"I know," she said. "Do what you can, don't draw suspicion to yourself. Pettigrew said he was here for the Goblin, take him with you. Can Nimsy still apparate in and out?"</p><p>Draco nodded, "Yeah she comes and goes all the time."</p><p>"PLEASE! IT'S A COPY! IT'S A COPY! I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM!" Hermione's scream tore through the Manor, bouncing off the stone in the cellar. Ron made a pitiful crying sound, sobbing as he looked at Elara and Harry.</p><p>"DO SOMETHING!" Ron shouted at them, "We <em>have </em>to do something!"</p><p>"When you go back up, you <em>have</em> to help her, Coco. <em>Please</em>. You have to do something. Don't let her kill Hermione. If you're truly defected, if you truly want out, you <em>can not</em> let her kill Hermione. Get into her head, if you have to. Help her block it. Do not let them kill her."</p><p>Draco nodded, leaning forward to press his lips to her head, "I won't let her be killed. I promise."</p><p>"Malfoy, you better swear on your life. If anything happens to her, I <em>will</em> let Ron kill you." Harry said, his tone cold as he set his jaw.</p><p>"I'll do what I can, Potter."</p><p>Draco disappeared into the back room of the cellar, reappearing with a Goblin who was covered in filth. Harry crouched next to him and begged him to lie, promising him it would be beneficial and explaining to him that they didn't break into the vault, it was left to him. The Goblin grunted in agreement and followed Draco up the stairs.</p><p>"Now what?" Harry asked.</p><p>"Now, we hope this works." Elara said, her chest tightening again. "Nimsy!"</p><p>Nimsy appeared, eyes bright as she stared at Elara. Elara fell to her knees and scooped the house elf into a hug. "Nimsy, I'm so sorry."</p><p>"It is not fault of young mistress!" Nimsy said, "Master Draco has helped Nimsy when he can. Nimsy takes care of Mistress Narcissa and-</p><p>"Nimsy, I'm sorry to interrupt you, but can you get into Hogwarts?" Elara asked.</p><p>Nimsy nodded, "Nimsy has special magic."</p><p>Elara gave a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "That you do," she agreed. "I want you to go to Hogwarts and retrieve Dobby, okay? Tell him Harry Potter and I need his help."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Please remember to leave a review and come check out my facebook group! Mimifreed Writing!<br/>xo</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0034"><h2>34. Chapter 34</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 34: Dobby, the Free Elf.</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Listen Before I Go by Billie Eilish</em>
</p><hr/><p>Hermione's screams only increased when Draco left the cellar, causing Ron to panic. Elara felt nauseous, the fear and confusion pulsing through her coupled with the agony and rage that seeped in from upstairs made her dizzy. She couldn't focus, couldn't think straight. When Draco had left, he took the wands with him, surely he hadn't done that on seemed to think otherwise, as he yelled obscenities when they realized Pettigrew's wand was not on his person.</p><p>Elara avoided looking to that corner of the cellar as she paced, waiting for Dobby and Nimsy's return. Luna Lovegood had come from the back room, along with Dean Thomas, and had began to explain to Ron and Harry everything that had happened since her capture. How Draco had helped her to the best of his abilities and made sure that Mr. Ollivander had the potions he needed to keep him alive.</p><p>Elara wanted to thank her for believing in Draco, for believing that her brother could be something besides the brand on his arm, but she couldn't push the words forward. Her mind was racing and she couldn't seem to grab a coherent thought. Finally, she heard two soft pops and Dobby and Nimsy were hand in the center of the room.</p><p>"Harry Potter! Dobby is so happy to see Harry Potter!"</p><p>"It's good to see you, too, Dobby!" Harry said, the sentiment genuine. "We need your help!"</p><p>"Anything for Harry Potter, sir! Anything!"</p><p>"Dobby," Elara said. "Dobby, can you get them out of here?" She motioned to Luna and Dean.</p><p>"Dobby can! Where should Dobby take them?"</p><p>"Shell Cottage!" Ron said, "Take them to Shell Cottage on the edge of Timworth, with Bill and Fleur. Tell them we sent you!"</p><p>"Dobby will return!"</p><p>With a small smile, Luna nodded toward them and took Dobby's hand, leading him into the back of the cellar to get Mr. Ollivander.</p><p>"Nimsy, can you set an anti-apparition ward? One that Dobby can get through with us, but no one else can come in or out? Is that possible?" Elara asked.</p><p>"For Young Miss, Nimsy will <em>make</em> it possible," Nimsy said, smiling brightly.</p><p>"Can I give you an Order, Nimsy? I know that technically you aren't mine, so you don't have to listen to me but-</p><p>"Young Miss, Nimsy is your elf. Nimsy is tied to you by blood. If Nimsy can follow the order, Nimsy will."</p><p>"Good," Elara said. "Once you set the wards, I want you to leave. Go to Hogwarts with Dobby, Harry's elf Kreacher is there as well."</p><p>"Miss?"</p><p>Elara slipped her trainer off and pulled her sock off, slipping her bare foot back into her shoe. "Here, Nimsy. You're free. You are no longer elf to the Malfoy line-</p><p>"But Miss!"</p><p>"Free, Nimsy. <em>Please</em>. I want you to stay safe. I know it's filthy, I haven't got anything cleaner to offer you. My bag was left at the campsite we were captured at, but I need you to accept it. I need you to be safe."</p><p>"Free," Nimsy said, the word a breath on her barely parted lips.</p><p>"Now, Nimsy. Please! Set the wards and go!" Elara begged, realizing the screaming from upstairs had begun to quiet.</p><p>Nimsy nodded, wrapping her tiny arms around Elara's knees and with a snap of her fingers and a soft pop, she was gone. Elara took a break that wasn't as deep as she would have liked. She could save Nimsy. She could make sure Nimsy got out, got away from the Manor. Make sure her beloved house elf friend no longer had to endure the pain and beatings she looked to be receiving since the Manor became headquarters for the Death Eaters.</p><p>"Now what?" Ron asked.</p><p>"We go to them," Harry answered, turning to look at Elara. "We go upstairs, get Hermione and get the hell out of here."</p><p>Nothing could have prepared Elara for the scene that she saw before her. Hermione was sprawled out on the floor, panting for air, foamy spit on the corner of her mouth and eyes puffy and red. Her lips were bleeding from biting into them while being tortured and her hair was tangled and wet with tears and blood.</p><p>Her left arm was extended from her body, bleeding onto the ancient rug that covered the floor. Her head turned to the side, eyes locked on Draco as he stared at her, his mouth moving, pushing quiet counter charms out from under his breath while Bellatrix questioned the Goblin. A healing charm, a numbing charm, a cushioning charm... Elara tried to keep track of his lips as he mumbled the words under his breath, but her focus was lost as something Bellatrix said hit Ron's ears and he shoved past Elara and into the room.</p><p>"Ron! No!" Elara shouted, "We haven't-</p><p>"Potter! Here!" Draco hissed, keeping his voice low and tossing a few wands at Harry.</p><p>Elara stopped in her tracks, eyes going wide at her brother's blatant act of treason against the Dark Lord. If they weren't aware that he defected yet, they certainly would know now.</p><p>"Draco!" Elara cried, her fear for him coursing through her veins. Bellatrix's eyes landed on Draco as a scream of fury tore through the air.</p><p>"<em>TRAITOR!</em>" Bellatrix shrieked, "You'll pay-</p><p>As she raised her wand above her head Harry disarmed her, tossing the wand to Elara. Elara looked down at the wand in her hand, it felt dark, <em>evil</em>, and she got the overwhelming urge to snap it in half. Instead, she began firing hexes and curses at her parents as they dueled Ron and Harry. Her mother looked fierce, even with the tears that coated her cheeks and the bewilderment that seeped from her. Harry hit Lucius square in the chest with a stunning spell and sent him flying backward.</p><p>"ENOUGH!" Bellatrix screamed, dragging Hermione up from the ground, her head pulled back. "Move again, and I will slit her throat from ear to ear."</p><p>"Let her go!" Ron yelled, "Let her-</p><p>"Ah, ah, ah." Bellatrix tsked, waving a finger at them as she pressed the blade into Hermione's skin, "Look who's face has become shiny and new again. Harry Potter, what a pleasure."</p><p>"Can't say the same," Harry said. "Let her go."</p><p>"You think I fear a few <em>teenagers</em>?" Bellatrix asked, a loud barking cackle as she dragged the blade a fraction of an inch across Hermione's throat.</p><p>"No," Elara said, stepping forward. "I don't think you fear us, but perhaps you should."</p><p>"Are you threatening me while I hold your mudblood against my blade?" Bellatrix spat, "Stupid girl!"</p><p>"Let her go, and I will leave you with whatever semblance of a mind is left in that insanity riddled head of yours," Elara said, taking another step forward.</p><p>"Call him!" Bellatrix called out, staring at Draco. "If you aren't a traitor you will call for him <em>now</em>, Draco!"</p><p>Elara's eyes shifted to see Draco staring at Bellatrix, his throat bobbing as he swallowed. He shifted where he stood, folding his arms over his chest and jutting his chin forward in defiance. Lucius pulled himself to his feet, limping forward and pulling his sleeve up.</p><p>"Dad," Elara begged, a desperate look on her face as her eyes bore into him.</p><p>"I'm sorry, flower." he said, his voice nearly a whimper as his hand hovered over the brand on his arm.</p><p>A loud squeaking sound pierced the air and a small crystal fell from the ceiling, shattering against the floor inches from where Bellatrix stood. Elara looked up, watching as Dobby unscrewed the chandelier from the ceiling.</p><p>"Dobby?" Narcissa said, her brows pulling together.</p><p>Dobby chuckled and a few more crystals shattered on the ground before Bellatrix shoved Hermione away from her, diving out of the way. Harry shoved Elara to the side as Ron pulled Hermione toward him, everyone lunging out of the way as the massive chandelier fell to the ground, shattering into millions of tiny pieces.</p><p>"<em>Stupefy!</em>" Harry said, hitting Lucius with a strong stunner that sent him into the wall behind him. Harry moved quickly to Elara, grabbing her elbow and pulling her into his chest. "Let's go!"</p><p>"Wait!" Elara said, "Draco!"</p><p>She reached out for him, relief flooding her as he moved forward, grasping her hand and huddling next to them.</p><p>"Stupid elf!" Bellatrix roared, "You almost killed me!"</p><p>"Dobby never meant to kill. Only maim or seriously injure!"</p><p>Narcissa raised her wand, pulling it backward to aim it at the elf as Dobby snapped his fingers, disarming her and handing the wand to Draco.</p><p>"You dare take a witch's wand?! You dare defy your masters?!" Bellatrix screamed.</p><p>"Dobby has no Master! Dobby is a free elf! And Dobby is here to help Harry Potter and his friends!"</p><p>Elara's chest went warm with affection for the creature and she turned to smile at him. Dobby grabbed hold of Harry's shoulder as Elara bent forward to grasp the shoulder of the Goblin who had scrambled next to them, holding the Sword of Gryffindor. In an instant, the feeling of being shoved through a tube as they apparated came, and her lungs ached for air as the sounds of Bellatrix's screech filled the air around her.</p><hr/><p>Elara hit the ground and immediately lost her footing. She stumbled to the side, tripping in the sand and fell to her knees as she tried to reorient herself and take in the bright light of her surroundings. How long had they been at the Manor? It must have been hours, though it felt simultaneously like minutes and days. The sun was just above the horizon, so it was early morning.</p><p>Elara blinked several times and saw Hermione in a heap on the ground, Ron hovering over her, his hands on her face as he asked her questions and looked her over. She turned around to see Draco standing on the outskirts of the small circle that had been created by their landing, his hands in his pockets as he stared forward, uncertainty clear in his stance and solidified in the emotions pouring out of him.</p><p>"Draco!" she called, her heart in her throat. "Draco, are you-<em>oomph!</em>"</p><p>The wind was knocked from her as he crashed into her chest, wrapping his arms around her tightly and nearly suffocating her in a crushing hug. She clung to him, her fingers digging into his back as she cried into his blazer, the shaking in his chest told her that he was crying too. She had been so terrified since seeing him in Diagon Alley back in August, that that brief encounter would be the last time she saw him. She had tried for months to bury her worries and fears for him, trying to focus on what was at hand. Trying to <em>survive</em> and outrun Snatchers had taken up so much of her brain space, that she had been forced to swallow back her fears for her brother. Only allowing them to come to the surface on occasion.</p><p>With his long arms wrapped tightly around her neck, his face buried into her hair as he cried, she felt like she could breathe again. At least, for a moment, the two people she loved most in the world were with her, and they were alive and safe.</p><p>"Dobby!" Harry's voice broke through her relief as it shook with fear. "No, no. Dobby, hang on. We'll get help! Ron! Ron! Help me! Help me!"</p><p>Elara pulled out of Draco's embrace and wiped her face with the back of her hand, sniffling as she turned around to see Harry on his knees, holding Dobby in his arms. The elf was gasping for air, his wrinkled pillowcase garment turning red with blood and the hilt of Bellatrix's dagger protruding from his chest.</p><p>"Dobby?" Elara said, "Dobby!"</p><p>She ran to Harry's side, dropping down and held her hands above him. The elf smiled at her, his eyes blinking slowly as they began to lose focus. "Miss Ellie, Dobby's friend."</p><p>"Yes, Dobby. Always your friend! I'm so sorry, this is all m-my fault." Elara's voice broke as she realized that there was nothing they could do. Dobby, a house elf she had known from birth, a little creature she had loved dearly as a child, would die in the arms of Harry from the request she had made of him. Because <em>she</em> had asked Nimsy to retrieve him for help.</p><p>"Dobby does not blame Miss Ellie. Dobby is not sad or scared. Dobby is with Harry Potter," his words were barely a whisper, his breath wheezing as he tried to talk. "What a beautiful place to be with friends."</p><p>His head fell to the side as he looked at the surroundings, his eyes blinking four more times before finally closing, his last breath a whisper across his small lips. Elara's hands were shaking as she held the tiny head of the elf, leaning forward to press her lips to his forehead.</p><p>"I-I'm sorry Dobby, I'm so, <em>so </em>sorry."</p><p>Harry looked up from the small body and looked at Elara, his eyes wet, tear tracks cutting through the grime on his face. He slowly shifted Dobby to the ground, pulling the dagger from Dobby's chest and setting it to the side. He shrugged out of his jacket and wrapped Dobby in it, tucking it around the elf's body tightly.</p><p>"We should get Hermione inside," he said, his voice rough.</p><p>"I just need help carrying her in," Ron said, walking to where Harry and Elara were knelt on the ground. "After that-</p><p>"I'll help you," Draco said.</p><p>Elara turned, looking up at Draco in shock. His voice was so quiet, she thought maybe she had misheard him. "What?"</p><p>"I'll help you take her inside," Draco said, shifting to look at Ron. "Let's go."</p><p>Elara watched as Draco walked over to Ron, offering him a hand. Ron stared at it as if he'd never seen fingers in his life before taking it and grunting a thanks as Draco helped to pull him to his feet. Together, they lifted Hermione off the ground. She was awake, but barely. Her head lolled to the side and her body trembled non-stop as the very unlikely pair slung her arms over their shoulders and carried her toward the cottage.</p><p>She turned back to Harry, who was staring down at the bundled elf, blinking slowly.</p><p>"Harry…"</p><p>"I want to bury him," Harry said. "Properly."</p><p>Elara nodded, "Of course," she looked around the property and saw a tree swaying in the morning breeze with large white blossoms on its branches. She pointed to it, "What about there?"</p><p>Harry turned and looked at the tree and nodded, "Yeah. That looks good."</p><p>He stood up and offered his hand to help her to her feet before dropping it and leaning down to scoop Dobby back into his arms. They walked in silence, the short distance to the tree, and he carefully placed Dobby aside. He got down on his hands and knees and began digging with his fingers.</p><p>Elara understood. Doing this the muggle way, whether or not they had the tools to do it, would help work out some of the adrenaline. It would help heal and give him something to focus on; so she set to work opposite him, digging through the sand.</p><p>The sun was warm as they dug, the waves crashing against the rocks an almost hypnotic background to the sound of their breathing. Birds chirped happily around them, singing songs of spring and she could smell the seawater in the air. Like the morning that Dumbledore was buried, the earth felt as if it were mocking them with its beauty. Reminding them that there <em>was</em> delicacy in the midst of the insensitive world they were in. There was beauty surrounding the ugly pit they were banished to, the beauty just wasn't meant for them.</p><p>By the time they had finished digging the grave, Luna and Draco had joined them outside. Luna was making a marker out of the sandstone on the shoreline and Draco sat against the tree, his knees brought up to his chest, his arms wrapped around them. Elara's throat ached from thirst, and her tongue felt like sandpaper, but she couldn't stop. Dobby had died saving them, saving <em>her</em> from whatever hell would have ensued had Voldemort been called to the Manor.</p><p>They all owed him respect, and everyone was paying it in their own way.</p><p>When they had finished digging a deep enough hole, Elara realized her fingers were bleeding and raw from the sand. Her nails were almost all completely torn down to the beds, dirty and throbbing. The pulsing in her fingers seemed to be the only thing she could focus on, because if she spent too long thinking about anything else, she couldn't breathe. She had killed two people today. She had been the direct cause of two deaths, and the thought of it made the burn of bile creep into the back of her throat.</p><p>Harry murmured a few words as he placed Dobby's body in the ground and Elara <em>wanted</em> to. She wanted to speak about the elf who had helped care for her as a child, who had played with her and helped to teach her how to read. She wanted to talk about the times that she would play hide and seek with Draco, Dobby, and Nimsy and how Dobby always <em>knew</em> where they were hiding, but would pretend he didn't so they could win. She wanted to tell the elf how much he meant to her, how he and Nimsy were her first friends, and how she would cherish her memories of him forever. How no one would forget his name and she would tell every person she met of the bravery of a small, green-eyed house elf.</p><p>Instead, she remained silent and closed her eyes as she tried to catch her breath. Her throbbing fingers aching as she began to move the sand and dirt back over his form and her head pounding with exhaustion.</p><p>"Hermione will be okay," Bill's voice came from behind her, causing her to startle a bit as it cut through the quiet. "She's resting now, but she'll be all right."</p><p>"Thanks," Harry said.</p><p>"We've got a lot to talk about," Bill said, "But I think you all could do with some rest, a meal, and a shower. Let's go inside."</p><p>Elara took one last, long look at the fresh grave before she nodded and stood. Bill pulled her into his chest, giving her a warm hug.</p><p>"It's good to see you're okay, Ellie."</p><p>"Thanks, I'm glad you're okay too, Bill. Fleur? Is she..?"</p><p>"Inside," Bill said, "She's helping right now."</p><p>"Have you heard from any of the others? Is Fred-</p><p>"I haven't seen anyone but Kingsley and Remus," He said. "They've both seen Fred and George recently though and said they were okay. Ginny too."</p><p>"Ginny?" Draco finally spoke, looking up from the place he sat under the tree. "Ginny is okay?"</p><p>Bill knit his eyebrows together for a moment as he looked at Draco and then slowly nodded, "Yeah. She's in a safehouse until the term starts back up next week."</p><p>"They can't let her go back there," Draco said, rising to his feet and brushing the dirt from his backside. "They're torturing her daily. The Carrow's-</p><p>"Ginny is safer at Hogwarts than she is on the run with my family," Bill interrupted. "I appreciate your concern for my sister, Malfoy, but I assure you she's safer there."</p><p>Draco grunted, his mouth twisting off to the side as he seemed to contemplate Bill's answer. Elara stared at Draco for a minute, wondering what his sudden interest in Ginny Weasley was about. But then again, maybe it wasn't so sudden. She hadn't seen or talked to either of them in months, there was a chance that Draco had built a friendship with her, considering he defected. Perhaps, she even helped-</p><p>"We'll be inside in a minute," Harry said, pulling Elara from her thoughts as he grabbed her hand to hold her back. "Can we talk?"</p><p>Draco's gaze lingered on them for a moment and when Elara nodded, he turned and followed Bill and Luna inside.</p><p>"Harry I-</p><p>"This wasn't your fault," Harry said. "I need you to understand that none of what happened today was your fault."</p><p>Elara closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath and slowly breathing it out. "I'm the one who told them to take us to the Manor, Harry. Hermione was tortured because of me. Pettigrew and D-Dobby…" she trailed off, her chest tightening painfully and her throat felt as if it were closing completely.</p><p>"I said his name," Harry said. "I did. I <em>knew</em> there was a taboo on it, and I said it anyway. I'm the reason the Snatchers showed up, not you. It's not your fault that-</p><p>"I killed a man, Harry. I <em>killed</em> Pettigrew. <em>I'm</em> the one who reached into his head and forced him to regret his actions. I'm the reason that his own hand turned on him. Me! And you can sprinkle your self-sacrificing sugar all over it, if you want, but I'm the one who did it."</p><p>"You saved my life!" Harry said, "He was killing me, and you know it! He's killed so many people, El! He's the <em>reason</em> my parents are dead! He's the one who sold them out and framed Sirius! He deserves-</p><p>"No one deserves what I did to him," Elara said. With a sigh, she dropped Harry's hand and stepped into the house.</p><p>"Peter Pettigrew died because he felt <em>sorry</em> for a few moments, Ellie. He felt regret for all the fucked up things he's done and it killed him. Because <em>he</em> made the choice to become a slave to darkness. You didn't do that to him, he did it to himself."</p><p>"Harry you don't-</p><p>"I understand," he said. "I do. But you can't blame yourself, you can't shut down and take on all of the responsibility for it. It's terrible, what happened to Pettigrew and to Dobby…" Harry trailed off, clearing his throat before continuing, "But we still have a job to do."</p><p>Harry was right. If anything, they needed to resurrect their focus to the right things. They needed to start figuring out where the Horcruxes were at, figure out how to proceed and where to go from here. When she finally sighed, nodding as she closed her eyes in defeat, Harry wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.</p><p>"We have to end this," Elara said.</p><p>"We will."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey everyone! Thanks for reading!<br/>I wanted to let you know that this story will be dropping down to 1x weekly updates!<br/>See you next sunday!<br/>xo<br/>Mimi</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0035"><h2>35. Chapter 35</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 35: I'm Fine.</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Breathe (2AM) by Anna Nalick</em>
</p>
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<p>The seaside breeze was cool against her face as it blew Elara's long blonde strands behind her shoulders. She sat on the side of the cottage, a few yards away in the tall grass that peppered the sand and rocks of the shore. Her arms held her knees to her chest as she looked out, watching the waves crash against the boulders. Harry, Ron, and Draco were inside with Bill and Fleur, explaining everything that had happened. Hermione was still unconscious in a bed, Ollivander the same. The Goblin, Griphook they had found out, was awake, but unwell and keeping company with Luna and Dean Thomas.</p>
<p>Elara needed some time to herself, she had not been able to escape the weight of intense emotions for weeks and she needed a break to process everything. She elected to be the last to clean up so that she could take the time to decompress. Her mind however, felt blank. She tried to grasp onto an emotion that was her own and once she waded through the consternation of Ron, the fear of Draco, the angry determination of Harry and the worry from Bill and Fleur Elara felt <em>nothing</em>.</p>
<p>She expected guilt, panic, or fear. What she got was indifference; a total lack of anything. And that was more concerning to her than the fact that she had killed man mere hours ago. She should at least feel <em>something</em> about it. After it happened, she was shocked. Completely beside herself with panic for what she had done and what that meant. She had <em>taken a life</em>!</p>
<p>But sitting here in the tall grass, watching the foamy water ebb and flow against the rocks, she didn't feel back about it. Harry had been right, Pettigrew would have killed him, had Elara not stepped in. And she hadn't <em>meant</em> to kill the man, she didn't pick through his brain with the intention of ending his life. She just wanted him to <em>let go</em>. She wanted him to drop his hand from Harry's throat and let them get out safely.</p>
<p><em>You're justifying a murder</em>, she thought.</p>
<p>"Pettigrew was a piece of shit," Draco's voice came from over her shoulder.</p>
<p>She twisted her torso to look up at him, raising an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"</p>
<p>Draco handed her a steaming mug and took his seat next to her, his hair still damp from his shower. He sipped on his own before taking in a deep breath, "I said, Pettigrew was a piece of shit."</p>
<p>"I heard what you said," Elara clarified, taking a sip of the coffee he handed her. "This is too sweet."</p>
<p>Draco shrugged, "I made it the same way I make mine. They didn't have any cranberry juice and I figured you could use the caffeine. And if you heard me, why did I need to repeat myself?"</p>
<p>"Because I'm wondering why you came out here talking about him."</p>
<p>Draco snorted, sipping his coffee again. "Just because I haven't had a proper conversation with you in months, doesn't mean I don't still know you."</p>
<p>"Perhaps you don't," Elara suggested. "I clearly have much to learn about how you've changed in the last nine months. Defected?"</p>
<p>Draco nodded, biting the inside of his cheek. "I should have listened to you ages ago. I don't know what I was thinking, I don't know why I thought being at the Manor, being with <em>them</em> would be better than the alternative."</p>
<p>"You were scared," she said. "So was I. When fear makes your choices for you, it often makes the wrong one."</p>
<p>"I'm sorry El, I should have-</p>
<p>Elara held up a hand to stop him from continuing, "Don't. We both did what we thought we had to do, what we thought was the right thing for us to do."</p>
<p>"Potter's rubbing off on you," Draco said, smirking as he slung his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side. "Fuck, I missed you."</p>
<p>"I missed you too," Elara whispered.</p>
<p>They sat in silence, finishing their coffee and listening to the calming soundscape of the waves. Elara leaned her head against Draco's shoulder, his head resting on top of hers as they offered silent comfort to one another. She could feel his inner turmoil, the uncertainty and fear of what comes next for him boiling under his skin. Elara was happy he didn't unload everything at this moment, happy he didn't ask questions or beg her to tell him what had happened to her since last June.</p>
<p>That was something she and Draco always agreed on. They didn't need to fill the air between them, they could just exist. It was a trait Harry shared, as well, which was a large reason she enjoyed his company so much.</p>
<p>Of course, she had questions of her own. Elara was worried about her parents, especially after finally seeing her mother. Narcissa had looked worn, frail almost with the stress of being at the Manor eating through her. Lucius looked almost as haggard as he had in azkaban, save for the clean shaved face. She knew they weren't doing well, and she worried about what would happen to them with <em>both</em> of their children defected and with the Order. Quickly, she shoved the worried thought aside.</p>
<p>"So, Ginny Weasley?" she asked, craning her neck to peek up at him. "I heard you ask about her."</p>
<p>Draco looked down at her and narrowed his eyes, "It's none of your business."</p>
<p>Elara smirked, humming a noncommittal agreement. "It's not," she said. "But I'm curious. Are you… an item?"</p>
<p>Draco sighed, shoving his hand through his hair, "Everything that has happened in the last nine months and you're asking about my love life?"</p>
<p>"Humor me," she chuckled. "I've dealt with enough fear and destruction lately. Tell me about her. Is it serious?"</p>
<p>He huffed a laugh, "We're in the middle of a war, Elara. Everything is serious."</p>
<p>"When did it start?"</p>
<p>Draco shrugged, "I don't know. October, maybe? Blaise and I began talking to her to join the D.A. around then. She heard us out, listened to what we had to say and then invited us to join them. Pansy and Theo are there too."</p>
<p>"Does anyone else know?"</p>
<p>"Did I kiss her in the middle of breakfast in front of everyone in the Great Hall?" Draco asked, chuckling as she swat at him. "No. We aren't broadcasting whatever it is we're doing. It'd be really hard to pretend I wasn't defected if the Carrow's found out I was snogging a blood traitor Weasley, wouldn't it?"</p>
<p>"Do you love her?"</p>
<p>Draco twisted his torso away from her, dropping his arm from around her shoulder and staring at her for a moment with narrowed eyes. "Love is a strong word."</p>
<p>"Do you like her then?"</p>
<p>He nodded slowly, sucking in a slow breath before answering, "Yeah. She's funny and kind. Wicked smart, too. We go flying together sometimes and it almost feels like we don't have to worry about other things, like we're back before all this happened."</p>
<p>"Before all this happened you wouldn't be caught dead flying with Ginny Weasley," Elara pointed out.</p>
<p>"That's definitely true," Draco agreed. "Which is a damn shame because she's a fair flyer. Not as good as I am-</p>
<p>"Naturally," Elara said, rolling her eyes.</p>
<p>Draco bumped his shoulder into hers before standing up. He held his hand out to her and she took it, using it to pull herself off the ground.</p>
<p>"You need to rest, get something to eat. You look terrible."</p>
<p>"You're one to talk," Elara grumbled.</p>
<p>"At least I showered. You smell like you've been living in a hippogriff pen."</p>
<p>Elara laughed, a <em>real</em> laugh that lit up her eyes and wrinkled her nose. It felt good to laugh like that, and she knew that in part, it was only possibly because while she struggled with feeling numb to the actions that had brought them to Shell Cottage; she was whole for the first time in months. Harry and Draco both in her reach, safe and relatively unscathed.</p>
<hr/>
<p>After picking at the lunch Fleur had made, not feeling very hungry despite not having a proper meal in weeks, Elara answered a few questions Bill had for her that Harry couldn't answer. Namely, what had happened to Ted Tonks. She recanted the time she spent with Ted on the run, telling Bill how he was killed by Snatchers.</p>
<p>Finally, she decided to bathe and maybe, if she could manage it, try to sleep. Draco was in the guest room with Luna, Ron next to Hermione's bedside. It was while she was undressing and stepping into the bathtub, did she notice that she hadn't seen Harry since they talked hours earlier. She decided to wait until after her bath to search for him.</p>
<p>Elara stepped into the steaming water, the heat instantly soothing her aching muscles. She hadn't noticed how locked up her body felt until she sank into the depths of the tub. She sighed in relief, taking in a deep breath and submerging herself below the surface. The rush of the water around her ears blocked the sound of anything else, the same as it had at Grimmauld Place. Elara held her breath until her lungs burned, coming up for air and submerging herself again.</p>
<p>"Waterboarding yourself again?" Harry's voice startled her as she came out of the water for the fourth time.</p>
<p>"W-waterboard?" Elara asked, choking on the bathwater she had inhaled when she came out from her personal sensory deprivation.</p>
<p>"It's something muggles do, simulate drowning as torture. It's… It's barbaric, actually." Harry said, kneeling next to the tub. "Are you okay?"</p>
<p>Elara nodded, her coughs calming as air filled her lungs in place of water, "I'm fine. What're you doing in here?"</p>
<p>"Fleur said someone should check on you," Harry said, taking the washcloth from where it rested on the side of the tub and dipping it into the water. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."</p>
<p>Harry pushed her wet hair over her shoulder and Elara leaned forward to hug her knees as he ran the warm cloth over her back, scrubbing away her tension. The soap smelled nice, floral and sweet, and she could feel her body relaxing further as Harry massaged it into the skin between her shoulder blades. She sighed as he dipped the cloth into the water, wringing it out against her skin to wash away the suds.</p>
<p>Elara wanted to say she was okay, wanted to tell Harry not to worry about her. To focus on the things at hand and she would be fine. But as she opened her mouth to say the words, the hollow feeling inside of her gripped her chest and squeezed like a vice, reminding her that empty was not <em>okay</em>.</p>
<p>As she struggled against herself, trying to find the words to say, she felt her breath come in sharp pants. Her chest ached with fire that felt like it would consume her at any second, regardless of the water she was planted in. Her airway felt constricted, like the silver of Pettigrew's fingers were wrapped around it, squeezing the life from her as it had his own throat. Somewhere in the distance she felt Harry stop scrubbing her skin. She could hear him saying <em>something</em> to her, but the sound was inaudible over the sound of Peter Pettigrew's gurgling breaths as she held his face in her hands.</p>
<p>She could still feel the clamminess of his skin beneath her fingers, the heat of his breath as his spit flecked against her face as he struggled for air. Elara could see the vein in his forehead, throbbing as his face turned red, then purple, then blue.</p>
<p>Elara hurriedly pulled herself from the tub, splashing Harry with water and soaking the floor as she clambered to the toilet, heaving the small lunch into it. As she retched, she felt the softness of a fluffy towel drape over her, heard Harry mutter a charm to clear the water from the floor and dry himself.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry," she ground out, reaching up to the lever to flush the contents. It was only then she realized the wet of her face was from the burning in her eyes, and not the water in the tub. "I'm sorry, I didn't… I could've stopped it and… Oh, god. Dobby! A-and I didn't! I-I just let him die! H-Harry I <em>let</em> him- I <em>wanted</em> him to die! I was s-so <em>angry</em>… He was hurting you and... and Draco had… <em>What have I done</em>?!"</p>
<p>Elara sobbed, the words coming out broken and not in any order that made sense. She didn't understand what took hold of her, the panic that was pulsing through her chest as her mind supplied image after image of Peter Pettigrew's face as he took his last breaths. She could feel her body shaking as Harry fell beside her, pulling her into his lap and nearly swaddling her in the towel he had wrapped her in. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips to her forehead, gently rocking as she sobbed, trying to make sense of the fear and hysteria she was feeling.</p>
<p>She thought it had been right after it happened, that the panic took hold of her. The shock of the situation had already come and gone, leaving her feeling empty. Elara had never been more wrong in her life. How could that have been it? How could the few minutes it took for her to gather her thoughts and the pep talk from Ron be enough to process that she had <em>murdered</em> a man. She had taken someone's life from the earth as if it was hers to take?</p>
<p>Too many people were being hurt and killed from her actions and the weight of it was crushing her. Eroding her senses and drowning her logical mind into a mess of panic and fear. She had been the catalyst, the direct cause of the Death Eater movement, the take over of Hogwarts had been her fault. <em>She</em> was the one who had come up with the formula for the spell to fix the cabinet!</p>
<p>"Shh," Harry cooed. "Ellie, listen to me love, you're okay. You're safe with me, okay? We'll figure things out but you're safe."</p>
<p>"No one else is," she muttered, hiccupping through her sobs. "If I'm safe, no one else is. It's all my fault! Harry, it's all my fault!"</p>
<p>Harry shushed her again, pressing his lips to her face, as he tried to comfort her. There was no comfort here, though. As long as she was safe, he was not. As long as she was safe, <em>everyone</em> was in danger, everyone was at risk of being killed to get to her or being killed <em>by</em> her.</p>
<p>Her mind was racing, throwing every terrible situation that could possibly happen at her. She swallowed back the bile burning in her throat again as she shoved away from Harry, scrambling to her feet and pulling the towel around her body. She had to leave, she couldn't stay here! She couldn't give Voldemort any more reason to try and attack them!</p>
<p>Elara's breaths came in sharp pants as she cried out in anguish, pulling at her hair as she tried to make sense of the thoughts blurring together in her mind. She could hear Harry yelling, but it sounded like he was in a tunnel at the farthest end away from her. Her vision blurred as she tried to calm herself down, but outside panic settled in. Harry's concern had turned to alarm and now she could feel Draco's terror seeping into her chest. She couldn't <em>breathe</em>.</p>
<p>"What did you do to her?!" Draco's voice broke through to her ears.</p>
<p>"I didn't do anything to her!" Harry said, "I was trying to help! I don't know what happened! She just started shaking and sobbing!"</p>
<p>"If you fucking hurt her Potter, I will kill you!"</p>
<p>"I would never hurt her!"</p>
<p>"Why is she-</p>
<p>"SHUT UP!" Elara screamed, the words feeling like broken glass tearing through her throat. She gripped the side of the tub, trying to hold herself upright and cried out in shock when it cracked beneath her grip.</p>
<p>"Ellie! What's-</p>
<p>"Stop!" she cried, "Go away before you get hurt too! Please! Stop!"</p>
<p>Elara pulled her hands up from the broken ceramic, staring down at them through tear-clouded eyes as they shook. Draco reached out, setting a hand on her forearm and she she tried to shake him off she felt a pulse of energy, hot as fire pulse through her again and sobbed loudly as Draco went surging backward, smashing into the door. Harry stepped forward, both hands up in surrender.</p>
<p>"Ellie, take a deep breath love, <em>please</em>. You have to calm down, okay? Deep breaths," Harry drew in a deep breath, exaggerating the movement of his chest with his hands as he blew the breath back out, trying to get her to follow suit.</p>
<p>Elara swallowed, terrified to move or touch anything. She took in a deep breath, filling her lungs with as much air as she could, blowing it back out in a low, shaking breath through pursed lips.</p>
<p>"There you go, another."</p>
<p>They took several deep breaths, Harry cooing his praise at her as her panic settled with each breath. Finally, after several minutes of these breath exercises, she felt her head clear a bit. Her eyes drying as her racing heart slowed down.</p>
<p>"Malfoy," Harry said, turning a bit to look over his shoulder at Draco. "Go ask Bill if we can get in touch with Fred."</p>
<p>"Why?" Draco asked, indignantly.</p>
<p>"Because, you bloody idiot, he's the one who knows how to brew the potion for her! And get her a dreamless sleep while you're at it."</p>
<p>"I'm not leaving her alone again!"</p>
<p>"Please," Elara whispered, finally opening her eyes to look at Draco. His expression was pained and terrified, his eyes shooting back and forth between her and Harry.</p>
<p>She felt his sadness twist in her gut as he gave a sharp nod and retched open the door, storming out of the bathroom. She fisted the towel in her grip, pulling her chin up to look at Harry. He reached a tentative hand out to her, holding her elbow as he helped her walk out of the bathroom and down the hall to the room she was sharing with Luna and Hermione.</p>
<p>Hermione was still unconscious on the bed that was shoved against the wall, two camp beds had been set up along the other walls of the room. Elara nearly collapsed into one, her body still trembling slightly from the panic simmering just under the surface. Harry waved his wand over hair, drying her hair and then sat next to her, taking her hand in his.</p>
<p>A moment later, a soft knock at the door sounded and Draco opened it before either of them had a chance to address it. She noticed the way his eyes actively avoided Hermione's small frame on the bed next to hers as he crossed the space, a small phial of purple liquid in his hand and a bunched up bit of fabric in the other.</p>
<p>"Bill said he would send a patronus to get the recipe for the potion from Fred and George," Draco relayed, handing her the phial of Dreamless Sleep. "I mixed some calming draught into it for you, that's what took so long. And Fleur gave me this for you to put on," he handed her the light blue fabric.</p>
<p>"Thanks," Elara murmured.</p>
<p>Harry stood up from the bed, leaning back down to press his lips to her forehead, "I'm gonna go talk to Bill and Fleur, unless you want me to stay?"</p>
<p>Elara shook her head, trying to push forth a smile, "I'm just going to try and sleep."</p>
<p>Draco shifted to the side a bit as Harry dropped down in front of Elara, taking both his hands in hers and looking up at her. She bit into her lip, trying to keep the shallow breaths in her chest from becoming ragged sobs as she stared into his emerald eyes. She watched as he dropped her hands, reaching around the back of his neck and pulling out the beaded necklace, untying it and pulling it from his collar. He reached up, snaking it around her neck and tied it.</p>
<p>"I don't have a bead to put on it," he whispered, "but this way I'm still with you, okay?"</p>
<p>Elara felt a few tears burn past the raw rim of her eyes and down her cheeks as she nodded, "Okay."</p>
<p>Harry pulled her head down to his, their foreheads pressed together, and she briefly wondered if he was embarrassed. She couldn't <em>feel</em> it from him, but right now the only thing she could feel was her own anxiety, fear, and disgust with herself. She wasn't sure if she could focus on anything past her own emotions that were doing their best to try and pull her under.</p>
<p>"If you need me, I'll just be downstairs, Ellie."</p>
<p>She nodded, trying to give a half-hearted smile as his glasses slipped down his nose a bit. He smiled back, though it didn't quite reach his eyes, and he leaned in, pressing his lips to hers. When he pulled away, he squeezed her hand one last time before giving Draco a sidelong look and exiting the room.</p>
<p>Draco stepped forward, pulling the dress from her lap and bunched it up in his hands, pulling at the opening of it before slipping it over her head and helping her to pull her arms through. He helped her to her feet to pull the towel and dress over herself.</p>
<p>"Your boyfriend is a bloody sap," Draco said, smirking as his fingers ghosted over the beaded necklace.</p>
<p>Elara forced air through her nose in lieu of a laugh and pulled the cork off the phial, swallowing down the contents and handing the empty glass tube back to Draco. "He's sweet and he cares about me."</p>
<p>"I don't need a rundown list of it," Draco said, vanishing the phial with his wand and nudging her to lie down. "Get some rest, El."</p>
<p>"Coco?" she asked, her eyes already feeling heavy.</p>
<p>"Yeah?"</p>
<p>"Will you sing it to me?"</p>
<p>Draco sighed, scooting her to the far side of the small bed and climbing into it, next to her. She smiled as he faced her, clasping both their hands together with fingers intertwined. He hummed the tune, lulling her into sleep within moments as the twist in her gut and the tightness in her chest eased.</p>
<p>.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>See you next sunday! :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0036"><h2>36. Chapter 36</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 36: Self Loathing in the Grey Area</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Tear Myself Apart by Tate McRae</em>
</p><hr/><p>Elara woke to find the place where Draco had hummed her to sleep, empty and cold. Realizing he must have gotten up at some point after she fell asleep, she wondered where he had slept, if Harry and Ron had allowed him to room with them without a fight or perhaps Bill was kind enough to offer him a place a little more private?</p><p>She stretched her back as she sat up, raising her arms high in the air above her head. Elara could feel the fear and panic of the day before beginning to creep back into her chest, her breath catching as her eyes landed on Hermione.</p><p>Hermione sat upright in her bed, her arm in her lap as she stared down at it, tracing her forearm with her index finger. Elara's stomach rolled, her eyes burning again with tears that were trying their hardest to spill down her cheeks. She took in a slow, shaking breath, trying to focus and get her emotions under control. She felt terrible, though. Hermione was <em>tortured</em> because of her poor judgement.</p><p>"It wasn't your fault," Hermione's words came as a whisper from the opposite side of the room.</p><p>Elara's heart clenched as she stood, padding over to Hermione's bed and sinking onto the foot of it. "Hermione," she said. "It <em>was</em> my fault. I was the one who told them to take us to that Manor. If it weren't for me-</p><p>"It would have happened eventually," Hermione said, looking up from her arm and staring into Elara's eyes. "I would have been a target eventually. You being there is probably the only reason I didn't get killed."</p><p>Elara stared at her friend, feeling sick to her stomach. How could Hermione <em>not</em> blame her? How could she <em>not</em> think it was entirely her fault? How could she sit here, with that terrible word carved into her arm, and not want to hex her?</p><p>"You don't know that," Elara said.</p><p>"Yes, I do."</p><p>"Hermione-</p><p>"No, Ellie." Hermione said, adopting a fierce tone as she leaned forward a bit to grab Elara's hand. "I <em>obliviated</em> my parents, remember? Simply because I <em>knew</em> that at some point, a target would be on my back. This," Hermione held out her mangled arm, showing Elara the word sliced into her flesh, "would have happened eventually. If not now, then later. Either way, it would have happened."</p><p>Elara took Hermione's hand, looking down at her bloodied forearm, staring at the cut letters spelling out MUDBLOOD. Her stomach rolled, pushing bile up the back of her throat and she swallowed, trying to keep herself from getting sick again.</p><p>"I killed a man, Hermione. I killed P-Pettigrew, I'm the reason Dobby is…" Elara pulled her eyes up from Hermione's arm, blinking furiously as the tears began to burn her eyes again.</p><p>"Ellie, I don't believe you killed a man in cold blood, in fact I'm certain you didn't. You did not kill Dobby. No one is blaming you for what happened back there, you can't blame yourself. We need you. Harry needs you. <em>I </em>need you. You can't fall apart now, we've come too far, we're so close to this being over."</p><p>"How do you know?" Elara asked, her hand clasping around Hermione's as she looked at her face, "How do you know this isn't going to last years? Hermione, so many people are dying because of what I did. How can you all be so sure that it's almost over?"</p><p>"Because if we lose hope, then it is over," Hermione said.</p><hr/><p>Elara sat at the kitchen table with Draco, Bill moved about the kitchen, preparing some tea for them as he whistled a tune. Fleur was tending to Mr. Ollivander while Harry and Ron talked to Griphook, Dean, and Luna. Hermione, Elara was sure, had gone back to sleep. Draco shifted uncomfortably in his seat, clearly unsure of his welcome here, Elara could feel the uncertainty and nervousness that lingered around him at all times.</p><p>"Ellie, bit of cream, easy sugar," Bill said, setting the mug in front of her on the table. "Draco, exorbitant amount of sugar, no cream."</p><p>Bill set the second mug next to Draco's hand and took his seat at the head of the table, sipping on a mug of his own. He offered Draco a kind smile, to which Draco tried to return with a pained sort of grimace, as he stared down into the cup.</p><p>"It's not poisoned," Bill said, "I promise. I'm not in the business of poisoning kids in my house. I'm fairly certain my wife would have a few choice words about that, if I was. And she's lovely, so I'd like to keep her around a while."</p><p>Elara chuckled, taking a sip of the tea. "You remembered how I take my tea?"</p><p>"I asked Harry, to be honest." Bill said, "You never drank tea at the Burrow. Fred always bought that juice you liked for you, and I don't have any. Draco made a cup earlier, while you were still in bed and used half my sugar bowl, so I just assumed it was safe to repeat that for his."</p><p>"Safe assumption," Elara said. "Thank you, Bill. For everything."</p><p>Bill waved off the thanks, pushing his shoulder length hair from his face and smiling brightly at her, "That's what family does. You're as good as ours now, aren't you?"</p><p>Elara smiled, her heart swelling with fondness of the eldest Weasley brother, "Have you heard from the others? Your parents? The twins or Ginny? Are they all right?"</p><p>"Staying at Great Auntie Muriel's," Bill said, swallowing a large gulp of tea. "So, it's hard to say if they're all right. That woman would drive the most sane person mad, I'm sure of it. But relatively unscathed as far as I understand. Ginny will be going back to Hogwarts in two days, which brings me to my next question…"</p><p>"No," Elara said, answering Bill's question before he asked it. "No, I'm not going back. None of us are."</p><p>"Speak for yourself," Draco mumbled.</p><p>Elara's eyes grew wide as she looked at Draco, "Coco, you can't be serious? You've <em>defected</em> and it's known now. If you go back… You already said the Carrow's were terrible before. They'll kill you now!"</p><p>Draco shrugged, taking a sip of his tea and humming his approval. "Let them. I'm not staying here if Ginny's going back. I can't let her go through that alone."</p><p>Bill studied Draco's face for a long time, a strange mix of pride and apprehension coming from him as his eyebrows sat high on his forehead. After several long minutes of painfully awkward silence, Bill raised his mug toward Draco, "I can respect that," he said. "But Ellie might be right. It could be unwise for you to return, I can't imagine you'll be welcomed back with open arms."</p><p>Draco snorted, wrapping both hands around his mug as he slowly brought his eyes up to meet Bill's face, "I'm fairly certain there aren't many places I'm going to be welcomed into. At least if I'm at Hogwarts, they'll turn all their efforts on me. The things they're doing to students is abhorrent, no one is safe at that school right now."</p><p>As Elara opened her mouth to protest, she heard a pop of apparition and Bill immediately stood at the table, looking over her and out the back door's window. Elara turned in her seat and felt her entire body flood with relief. In an instant, she was on her feet, pulling open the door and rushing outside, down the pathway to smack into the chest of Fred Weasley.</p><p>Fred instantly wrapped her in a tight hug, kissing the top of her head and laughing as she nearly sobbed into his chest, "That's one hell of a welcome!" Fred said, "Aren't you supposed to ask me some mental questions that only we would know the answer to?"</p><p>Elara pulled away, laughing as she wiped the tears from her eyes, "Yeah, of course. Um, what did I nick from your laundry and have yet to give back to you?"</p><p>"My very first Wheezes staff shirt," Fred said. "And a set of red snitch pajamas! Do you steal Harry's clothes like this, or is it just mine?"</p><p>"Just yours," Elara smiled.</p><p>"Better go inside," Fred said. "I've got something for you."</p><p>Elara followed Fred inside, stepping aside so Bill could pull his younger brother into an embrace. Elara noticed Draco was no longer at the table, and wondered where he'd gone off to. The question was quickly answered when she saw Harry and Ron enter, with Draco standing behind them.</p><p>"Fred!" Ron said, giving his brother a tight embrace. "How's mum and dad?"</p><p>"They're okay, holding up. Auntie Muriel is driving mum mad, but it's better than the alternative, I reckon. And you lot, you're okay?" Fred asked, looking around the room. His eyes landed on Draco and he stopped, his smile faltering a bit. "Found your brother then."</p><p>Elara nodded, "He helped us."</p><p>"Been helping a lot, I've heard." Fred mused, the smile back on his face. "Oh, Ellie, here. This is the entire reason I came…" Fred dug into his pocket pulling out three tiny bottles. He tapped his wand to them to enlarge them and handed them all to her.</p><p>"My potion?" she asked.</p><p>Fred nodded, "Couple months worth, if you ration it."</p><p>Elara nearly sobbed from relief, thankful that in mere moments, she could live without the heaviness of everyone else's emotions weighing her down. She may be able to finally take some time to properly process everything that had happened without falling into a fit of panic. Immediately, she pulled the cork from one of the bottles and took a large swig of the potion, laughing as she swallowed.</p><p>"You fixed the taste?" she asked, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand.</p><p>Fred beamed and then looked around the room again, his smile slipping from his face and worry creasing his brows. "Where's Hermione?"</p><p>Ron's face went white and Draco looked down at his shoes, Harry rubbed the back of his neck as he cleared his throat, "She's resting," Harry said. "It's been a rough few days."</p><p>"Rough year, more like it." Ron interjected.</p><p>"We've got a lot to talk about," Bill agreed. "You'll stay a while?"</p><p>Elara looked up at Fred, a hopeful look on her face. His lips quirked to the side in a smile as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "Yeah, I'll stay a while. I reckon a few hours won't hurt."</p><p>Draco looked up from his shoes, his eyes landing on Elara, his mouth twisted to the side as he arched an eyebrow at her, looking between her and Fred. Elara gave a small shrug, squeezed Fred's side and dropped her arm from around him.</p><p>"You lot can get Fred up to speed without me, can't you?" Elara asked, her eyes landing on Harry.</p><p>Harry nodded, "Yeah, we'll tell him what happened. Why don't you go get some fresh air?"</p><p>Elara nodded, stepping through the kitchen to Harry and pushing up on her toes to place a swift kiss on his lips, "Thank you," she whispered.</p><p>"Are you okay?" he asked, low enough that only she could hear.</p><p>Elara nodded, "I'll be fine." She turned to Draco, holding her hand out to him, "Come with me? We have a lot to talk about."</p><hr/><p>Elara and Draco sat outside for a few hours, shoulder to shoulder as they talked. Thanks to the potion Fred brought, Elara felt calm enough to be able to recapitulate the details over the last nine months, being careful to leave out the <em>reason</em> that she, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had gone on the run in the first place. She told him about getting splinched, only after he asked about the Ministry break in, having read about it in The Daily Prophet. When she showed him her arm, the deep, gnarled scaring running from elbow to shoulder, she could tell he was upset.</p><p>"We're at war, Draco," she said, as his fingers traced the scarring. "You've got scars, too. It would have been silly to think either of us would come out unscathed."</p><p>"And your mark?" Draco finally asked, "You're still wearing the amulet I gave you?"</p><p>Elara nodded, unclasping the bracelet and showing him the faded mark. "I bled it out," she said. "When I splinched, I lost so much blood that it seeped the Dark Magic out as well. I had been looking into blood letting, doing that regularly, and I think it helped. But the splinching… It was awful, but I'm glad it happened. I don't think I can get rid of it completely, it'll always be a stain on my skin. But I can't feel the pull of it anymore."</p><p>"Mine's been burning since we left the Manor," Draco said. "But I don't think he knows anything yet. It always hurts, always aches, but when he summons us with it…" He trailed off, shaking his head, a scowl tugging his lips down.</p><p>They sat in silence for several minutes after that. Elara leaned over, their arms touching, her head head on his shoulder. He was different now, more mature than he had ever been. He hadn't made any snide remarks to Harry or Ron, hadn't tried to make a backhanded joke of the situation. He was solemn, and that scared her. Draco had been changed by whatever he had been through in the last nine months, probably even before then. And she couldn't stop it. She had wanted nothing but his safety, for him to be okay, and she had left him. She had turned her back on him and made him go through being at the Manor on his own.</p><p>"Stop it," Draco murmured, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.</p><p>"Stop what?" she asked.</p><p>"Whatever you're thinking," he said. "Stop thinking about it."</p><p>"Everyone keeps telling me not to blame myself for everything that's happened," Elara began. "But I don't know how I can stop blaming myself."</p><p>"You did what you had to do," Draco said, his voice hard. "We all have. You're alive, your friends are alive, I'm alive. That's a win, Ellie. As much of a win that we're going to get, right now. People have been lost, that's war. You keep forgetting we are at war."</p><p>"I'm not forgetting-</p><p>"Then you're choosing to ignore it, which is worse."</p><p>Elara pulled away from him, standing up and pacing through the sand. He was right. She <em>knew</em> he was right. Hermione and Harry were right. <em>Everyone</em> was right. It wasn't her fault, she just played a catalyst in a much larger plan. She knew this and yet…</p><p>Elara sighed, scrubbing her face with her hands, "You've changed a lot."</p><p>"So have you," Draco said. "It's like you have no fight left in you."</p><p>She stared at her brother, watching as the wind blew his hair about his head, "I don't know what you mean."</p><p>Draco scoffed, standing up and dusting the back of his trousers off, "You don't know what I mean?" He repeated, "I'm fairly certain I have been told to 'stop throwing a tantrum' more than once by you. You have <em>always</em> been annoyingly combative, unafraid to step in and put your foot down. And now? You're letting your own emotions walk all over you."</p><p>Elara's jaw fell as she stared at him in disbelief. Was he really chastising her for getting emotional? After everything she had just told him, everything she had gone through- <em>they had all gone through-</em> her own brother was going to tell her she was throwing a tantrum?</p><p>"I'm not letting my emotions walk all over me! What does that even mean?!" Elara spat, narrowing her eyes at Draco in anger.</p><p>"It means you've lost control of yourself, you're letting everything get to you. You cracked the damn bathtub, Ellie!"</p><p>"I had a physical manifestation of my abilities! It isn't my fault!"</p><p>"It was accidental magic, El. The same thing eight year olds learn how to reign in."</p><p>"It is <em>not</em> the same thing as accidental magic!" Elara nearly shouted, "It's far more destructive than that. And I don't know <em>how</em> to reign it in! And for your information, I have been through <em>a lot</em> in the last nine months, so pardon me for succumbing to the weight of the emotions that I have to carry around every day! Or have you forgotten, it's not just <em>my</em> emotional weight I have to deal with?!"</p><p>Draco rolled his eyes, "Ah yes, the 'everyone else's emotions are crushing me'. How about I say this to you in your own words, words I've heard far too many times…"</p><p>"Draco Lucius I swear to <em>Merlin</em>, you had better choose your next words wisely."</p><p>"Pick yourself up, Elara. Clean this mess," Draco said, his jaw set tight as he stared at her.</p><p>Elara marched forward, stopping just inches before her brother. She looked up at him, jutting her chin out in defiance as she clenched her teeth, "You are <em>such</em> a prat."</p><p>Draco smirked, "There you are," he chuckled. "I see it in your eyes now, a little fire. Stop fucking wallowing. I don't know what Potter has you out doing, and I don't really care to know. But whatever it is, it's important. If you can't keep your shit together, you're going to fail and we can <em>not</em> afford to fail, Ellie. We will have nowhere left to go if the Order doesn't take the lead here, and you know that."</p><p>Elara sighed, taking a step back from Draco and nodded a few times, "I know," she said. "You're right."</p><p>"I-I am?"</p><p>"Merlin, Coco, don't act so surprised," Elara chuckled, sitting back down on the sandy hillside.</p><p>"I was expecting you to hit me, if I'm being honest. Maybe a hex," Draco mumbled, sitting next to her again, draping an arm over her shoulders. "It's been a really fucking awful year. I know that. But we have to keep going, right?"</p><p>Elara nodded, "I'm glad you left them. I'm sorry you've been treated so terribly, but I'm glad you left them. Are you really going to go back to Hogwarts?"</p><p>"I have to," he said.</p><p>"I think… I think you should go to Snape when you go back," Elara whispered.</p><p>"Snape? Are you insane?" Draco asked, his eyes widening.</p><p>"Hear me out," Elara began. "I think Dumbledore knew what was going to happen, I think Snape is still on our side."</p><p>"Did you hit your head when we landed here?" Draco asked.</p><p>"No," Elara said, sighing. "I know how it sounds, but I really don't think he's working against us."</p><p>"Have you told Potter this theory?"</p><p>She shook her head, "No. Just Ted."</p><p>Draco hummed, "You should keep this to yourself, Ellie. He killed Dumbledore, we were both there, watched it happen. I don't think it would be wise to tell anyone you think he's innocent, that mark on your arm may have faded, but it's still there."</p><p>"I"m not-</p><p>"That's not what I'm saying," Draco said, putting his hands up in surrender. "I'm saying we're still marked. Aligning yourself with the person who killed Dumbledore may not be the best decision."</p><hr/><p>The rest of the evening was spent talking with Fred and the others in the sitting room. Fred explained everything he knew about the Muggleborn Registration Commission and what they were doing with the witches and wizards that were being rounded up. He told them about the take down of the Ministry, how it had gone completely into Death Eaters hands, something that Draco was able to back up and give more information on.</p><p>Surprisingly to Elara, everyone had taken to Draco far easier than she had expected. She supposed that her initial defection almost a year ago probably helped the situation, it would make sense that Draco would eventually defect as well. But according to Fred, Ginny had told them days ago that Draco, Blaise, Pansy, and Theo had all joined the D.A. at Hogwarts and had pulled their weight in helping the younger students avoid the terrors of the Carrow twins.</p><p>After a long goodbye to Fred, Elara found herself knocking on the door that led to the small room that was shared by Mr. Ollivander and the Goblin, Griphook. It was getting late, just after nine at night, and she wasn't sure if Mr. Ollivander would be awake, but she wanted to check on him.</p><p>"Come in," a frail voice called from the other side of the door.</p><p>Elara pushed open the door just enough to slip inside and closed it quietly behind her. She could hear the snores coming from one of the camp beds and looked over to see Griphook fast asleep.</p><p>"Miss Malfoy," Mr. Ollivander greeted.</p><p>"Hello, Mr. Ollivander," Elara began. "I wanted to check in on you, see if there was anything I could get for you?"</p><p>A small smile pulled his lips upward and Elara did her best to return it. She felt terrible for the old man, starved and tortured for over a year in the cellar of her childhood home. His face was gaunt, completely sunken in and he was sickeningly thin. He looked exhausted, and she wondered if she should just come back in the morning and allow the wandmaker the time to rest.</p><p>"I have everything I need," he responded, motioning to a chair next to his bedside. "You look as if you have something to say."</p><p>Elara hesitated a bit before stepping forward, taking the seat next to Mr. Ollivander's bed. "I wanted to apologize for the way you were treated in my home."</p><p>"I daresay sweet girl, I do not believe that place has been your home for quite some time."</p><p>She shifted in the seat, watching her hands as they twisted the hem of her shirt. "I suppose you're right."</p><p>"You've taken to heart the warning I gave about your wand," he said. "I believe you've searched for a path of Light, despite the Darkness that surrounded you. That is commendable."</p><p>"I killed a man," she whispered, pulling her eyes from her hands to look at the old man before her. "I don't think that's staying in the Light."</p><p>"Do you know what makes wandmaking so difficult? Why is it an art passed down generations and not just something everyone does?"</p><p>Confused by the seemingly random question, Elara shook her head. "No, sir."</p><p>"It's the grey area," he croaked. "Magic is LIght and it is Dark. But sometimes, there are things that fall in between. A wand is not inherently Light or Dark, it all depends on who wields it. It depends on intention. Was it your intention, Miss Malfoy, to end that man's life?"</p><p>Elara studied him for a long moment before shaking her head, "No."</p><p>"I believe, as it goes with war, that he was an unfortunate grey area."</p><p>Elara sat next to Mr. Ollivander for several minutes, chewing over what he said. Elara had spent so much time being terrified of the Dark, that she forgot that without it, there could be no Light. She wondered if the grey area was a bad thing, but then perhaps it wasn't as simple as good and bad.</p><p>"Intention," Elara repeated, pulling herself from her thoughts and looking back to Mr. Ollivander.</p><p>"I believe intention always matters," he said.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0037"><h2>37. Chapter 37</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 37: Until the End.</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <em>We Never Die (acoustic) by Juke Ross</em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>"Are you <em>insane</em>?!" Elara cried, jumping off her cot and staring at Harry with wide eyes.</p>
<p>Ron looked up at her, stifling a laugh behind his hand as Hermione shifted uncomfortably against the window, looking at Elara with a desperate sort of look on her face. Elara's eyes moved back to Harry as he looked up from his hands, staring at her with a blank look on his face.</p>
<p>"You can not be serious?!" she said, as she began to pace around the room, she turned on her heel and pointed at Hermione. "You <em>knew</em> about this asinine plan?!"</p>
<p>Hermione nodded, twisting her mouth to the side and looking down at her lap, picking at a bit of thread on her jumper.</p>
<p>"We don't have any other options, Ellie." Harry said, his voice even, "We need to get in there, there has to be a Horcrux in there, why else would Bella-</p>
<p>"Don't say her name," Elara hissed. "I don't think I can stomach it."</p>
<p>Harry huffed a sigh, "Why else would <em>she</em> make such a big deal about her vault, if she didn't have something to hide?"</p>
<p>"She thought the sword was in there! I would be cross too if someone broke into my vault!" Elara said.</p>
<p>"Barmy bitch was a little more than cross, if you ask me…" Ron mumbled under his breath.</p>
<p>Elara shot him a look of distaste and sighed, shoving her hair from her face, "So you think the answer to that is to <em>actually</em> break into her vault?"</p>
<p>"It's not a perfect plan-</p>
<p>"It's barely a plan at all!" Elara said, interrupting Hermione, "How, exactly, do you think we're going to get past the guards? The Goblins? The <em>bloody </em>dragon?!"</p>
<p>"D-dragon?" Ron asked, his eyes growing wide.</p>
<p>Harry looked at Hermione in question, when she shrugged, his eyes met Elara's, "What do you mean dragon?"</p>
<p>Elara let out a loud, humorless laugh, "Merlin! Of course, none of you would know about the dragon! It protects the old pureblood vaults, ones like my family, the Lestranges, Notts… The people who come from old money, who have <em>always</em> been wealthy. The ones who have the most valuables in their vaults, family heirlooms, ancient amulets, old artifacts… Millions of Galleons, or in my family's case, billions."</p>
<p>"Billions? Did she just say <em>billions</em>?" Ron asked, his jaw dropping open as he looked around.</p>
<p>Elara rolled her eyes, "You're focused on the wrong part! If we <em>break into Gringotts</em>," she hissed, "How do you expect to do this without being arrested, or- or <em>eaten</em> by a dragon?!"</p>
<p>"Griphook," Harry said.</p>
<p>"Griphook." Elara repeated, raising an eyebrow in disbelief, "The Goblin? You're going to trust a <em>Goblin</em> to help you break into Gringotts? I want you to say it out loud, slowly, so that you can understand how absolutely stupid that sounds."</p>
<p>"Look, I know it's not <em>ideal</em>," Harry said. "But Griphook has agreed to help us."</p>
<p>"So that's why you've been locked up in the room with him for the last week?" Elara asked, "Okay then, he's going to help. Great. In return for what?"</p>
<p>Harry stared at her, blinking a few times before standing up and sighing, "The sword."</p>
<p>"The sword," Elara laughed, "The <em>sword</em>. You mean the one thing we have that will help us get rid of the Horcruxes? That's what you've promised him in return?"</p>
<p>"I didn't say <em>when</em> I'd give it to him," Harry tried to reason, "I just said that after we got what we needed he could have it."</p>
<p>"Oh, brilliant! Even better! You're planning on trying to <em>double cross</em> a Goblin! Fantastic! Really, Harry, this is top notch work. And let's just say that <em>that</em> doesn't completely blow up in our faces, how do you plan on getting into Gringotts?"</p>
<p>"Polyjuice," Hermione said.</p>
<p>"Polyjuice, because that plan has never come back to bite us in the back. Who are you planning on disguising yourself as?"</p>
<p>"Your aunt," Hermione's voice was softer now as she looked up from her spot at the window seat, "I have a few of her hairs that fell on my jumper and we have her wand."</p>
<p>Elara turned to stare at Hermione in disbelief, "Who else are we-</p>
<p>"We aren't," Harry said. "Griphook and I will wear the cloak, Ron is going to transfigure himself and we thought you could transfigure yourself to look like your mum."</p>
<p>"My mum?"</p>
<p>Hermione nodded, "It wouldn't be completely wrong to say that your mum and her sister may be seen in public together, would it?"</p>
<p>Elara sighed, shaking her head. "No, it wouldn't Especially because the Black family vault is one of those protected vaults, they've gone together many times before."</p>
<p>Elara took a deep breath and stopped pacing, instead she sat on the edge of Hermione's bed, hunched over with her elbows on her knees as she scrubbed at her face with both hands. This plan was insane. It was one thing to infiltrate the Ministry to get the locket, but to break into <em>Gringotts</em>, more than likely the most heavily guarded place on earth? She just couldn't foresee it working, no matter how much Polyjuice or physical transfiguration they did, there were still so many measures to make sure that the vaults remained secure. Elara, herself, had only been to the family vault on one occasion, with her father years ago.</p>
<p>"When are we going?" Elara said, her voice full of defeat. She knew there was no way that Harry would let up from this plan, and he was right. Bellatrix had been so focused, so <em>terrified</em> that they had been in her vault. There had to be something they needed inside of it.</p>
<p>"You're on board?" Harry asked, shocked.</p>
<p>"Don't really have much of a choice, do I?" Elara asked, looking up at him.</p>
<p>"You don't have to come," he said. "You can stay here. You don't have to risk-</p>
<p>"I'm not staying here and worrying about you lot while you go off to get roasted by a dragon."</p>
<p>"We've still got some details to work out, but once Griphook is healed enough to go, we're going," Harry said.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The days dragged into weeks as Elara adjusted to the worry that plagued her again. It had been difficult to say goodbye to Draco, not knowing if she would see him again, and if she did, how long that would be. Draco was determined, however, a feeling buzzing off of him that she wasn't sure she had ever felt before from him. He wanted to prove himself, wanted to prove that they could follow more than just the path their father laid for them. He was prepared to die, and had been for a long time. This time, however, he was prepared to die fighting for what he believed in, rather than what he was told to believe in.</p>
<p>Elara was proud of him, and she had told him as much the day he went back to Hogwarts. She knew that he could be great, knew that he had good inside of him, he just had to be the one to come to that realization as well. And if it took the help of Ginny Weasley and Blaise to get him to see it, she would be forever in their debt.</p>
<p>The group that hadn't returned to Hogwarts was having dinner around the table with Bill and Fleur. The spring rain had turned into a storm that day, the house was gloomy and dark, which seemed to be a fitting mood. Everyone seemed rather restless to Elara over the last week or so. She knew Bill was suspicious of them, he had certainly noticed that Harry and Griphook were often locked in the Goblin's room for extended periods of time.</p>
<p>Griphook proved to be difficult. The plans that Harry had already agreed upon with him, were changed over and over as the Goblin became even more demanding and combative. Elara often found herself consumed with Harry's frustration, even though she had the dampening potion. Griphook refused to make arrangements with anyone else in the group, even going as far as to yell at Elara when she tried to step in the room to make a few suggestions.</p>
<p>Elara looked around the table and met Harry's eyes. He looked tired and worn down, lack of sleep and constant planning aged him significantly. Harry tried to offer her a small smile, that didn't quite reach his eyes and she gave him a worried look in return.</p>
<p>A loud banging on the front door to the cottage pulled her attention away from Harry, sending her heart straight into her throat as her eyes widened and looked at Bill. Bill stood up from his seat, nearly knocking his glass of wine to the floor as he brandished his wand, stepping around the table and into the front room.</p>
<p>"Who's there?" Bill called out.</p>
<p>"It is I! Remus John Lupin!"</p>
<p>Elara laughed a bit at the very dramatic way Remus announced his presence. Harry's eyebrows furrowed, worry creasing them together as he began to stand from the table.</p>
<p>"I am a werewolf, I am married to Nymphadora Tonks, and I was given the location of Shell Cottage by it's secret keeper, Bill Weasley, in case of emergency!"</p>
<p>A draft tore through the cottage as Bill opened the door, pulling Remus in from the storm and slamming it back shut behind him. Remus bounded into the kitchen, a large smile on his face as he used his wand to dry his robes.</p>
<p>"A boy!" Remus said, proudly. "It's a boy!"</p>
<p>"Tonks had the baby?" Hermione asked, a smile breaking across her face.</p>
<p>Remus nodded, "We've named him Ted, after Dora's father." his eyes landed on Elara and he gave her a meaningful look.</p>
<p>"Ted," Elara whispered, a sad smile on her lips as she closed her eyes. "It's a good name."</p>
<p>Remus nodded again, turning his attention to Harry. "Harry, you'll be godfather?"</p>
<p>Elara smiled as she looked at Harry, emotion swelling in her chest.</p>
<p>"M-me?" Harry stammered, "You want <em>me</em> to be his… blimey. I-I don't know what to say!" Harry said, his mouth falling open in awe.</p>
<p>"Say yes," Elara whispered, eliciting a chuckle from everyone at the table.</p>
<p>"Oh, yeah, yes! Of course, Remus! I-I'm honored!" Harry said, standing up to shake Remus' hand. Remus pulled him into a tight hug, a smile beaming on his face when they broke apart.</p>
<p>Fleur opened another bottle of wine, pouring a glass for everyone at the table and raising it up to toast Remus.</p>
<p>"To Teddy Remus Lupin, a great wizard in the making!" Remus said, happily.</p>
<p>"To Teddy!" Everyone cheered.</p>
<p>Remus stayed less than an hour, but it made for a nice reprieve from the usual tension of their evenings. The talk of a baby, <em>new life</em>, being brought into the world in such hectic and uncertain times was uplifting. Remus told them how Teddy's hair had already begun changing colors, showing that he would take after his mum as a metamorphmagus. Fleur asked questions about the details of the baby's weight and how Tonks' delivery went, as Remus happily answered all the questions that he could, Elara sat back in her chair, smiling at the feeling of happiness spreading through the room.</p>
<p>It had been far too long since she had felt something besides worry, fear, and frustration.</p>
<p>Soon, Remus said his goodbyes, hugging everyone tightly before he left, promising to deliver all the well wishes that were given. As they finished their wine and dinner, Elara hoped that maybe she could get some alone time with Harry. They hadn't had much of a chance to talk since their arrival at Shell Cottage, and now that Draco and Luna had gone back to Hogwarts and Dean went to stay with the Weasley's at Muriel's, she was hoping they may be able to have a chance at a little privacy.</p>
<p>Elara and Hermione stayed in the kitchen, helping Fleur clean up the dishes and wipe down the table. Fleur had fussed at them, telling them they didn't need to help, but both girls were uncomfortable leaving the mess behind for Fleur. Once they had the dishes dried and put away, Elara and Hermione retired to their room for the evening.</p>
<p>"I need to go talk to Ron," Hermione said. "We need to work on his transfigurations to make sure they look convincing."</p>
<p>"Are you sure that's all you'll be doing?" Elara asked, her lips turning up a bit on the corners as she gave a suggestive look to Hermione.</p>
<p>Hermione huffed and rolled her eyes, "Shut up," she said, throwing a pillow at her.</p>
<p>Elara failed to dodge the pillow and it hit her square in the face, she laughed and Hermione shook her head as she pulled her hair up, grabbed her wand off the side table by her bed and took her leave of the room. When the door closed, Elara decided to make her way to the bathroom before seeking out Harry. Bill had pulled Harry aside to talk with him after dinner, and she wasn't sure if they were still meeting and she didn't want to interrupt them. Besides, the stress of the last several weeks had her shoulders in a permanently tense state, and standing beneath the hot water sounded lovely.</p>
<p>She peeled off her clothes and set the shower as hot as she could stand it, the jet of water hitting her back and melting the ache between her shoulder blades. She used a bit of the soap Fleur had been kind enough to give to Elara and Hermione, an expensive french soap that smelled light and floral. Elara took her time in the shower, scrubbing her body and scalp and letting the water run over her, before finally shutting it off and stepping out, using her wand to dry herself off and wrapping her body in a bath robe.</p>
<p>Elara wondered if she would be on the run again for months once they left Shell Cottage to go to Gringotts. If they were successful, where would they go after? She couldn't see it being safe for them to return here and they certainly couldn't go to Muriel's. Even if there <em>was</em> space for them, which was unlikely, there was a newborn baby in the house, and Elara wouldn't put that kind of risk onto them.</p>
<p>She curled up on the edge of the window seat, her knees drawn up as she wrapped her arms around them, leaning her head against the glass and staring out at the stormy night. She couldn't help but wonder what life would be like after everything was over. She was confident that the Order, that <em>Harry</em>, would win this. But she was afraid for the aftermath, for what it would mean for the Wizarding World as they knew it. It had been proven during Voldemort's rise to power that the Ministry was crooked, a fact she supposed she always knew.</p>
<p>They would have to clean house completely in order to reform the Ministry with ideals that weren't the same toxic, purist ideals it had been built on. The Ministry of Magic had always been formed to benefit the Pureblood society, she hoped that would be rectified.</p>
<p>A soft knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts and she looked up just as it cracked open, without awaiting her approval. Harry stepped in, closing the door quickly behind him and gave her a small smile that pulled the right side of his mouth up higher than the left.</p>
<p>"How did your talk with Bill go?" she asked, swinging her feet over the ledge of the seat and patting the spot next to her, motioning for Harry to sit.</p>
<p>"He's worried about us planning anything with Griphook," he said, taking the spot she offered. "Bill's worked with Goblin's for years, said that they don't trust us easily and even the trust they give is conditional."</p>
<p>Elara nodded, "I know."</p>
<p>"I know you do," Harry sighed. "But we haven't got a lot of options, and we're running out of time."</p>
<p>Elara turned to face him, crossing her legs in a pretzel shape in front of her and leaning over to push his hair from his face, "You can feel it too, can't you?"</p>
<p>She knew she didn't need to specify, Harry had been feeling it for months now. The tension in the air was thick no matter where they went, waiting for the war to come to a head. The entirety of Wizarding Britain on edge as they lie in wait.</p>
<p>Harry slowly nodded his head, "Yeah," he said. "It's suffocating, isn't it? Like you can't take a deep breath without being reminded of what's around the corner. And it's only getting closer."</p>
<p>"Can't help but wonder what comes after," Elara mumbled.</p>
<p>"I'm not certain there's going to be an after," Harry admitted. "At least, not for me."</p>
<p>Elara pushed her hand into Harry's hair, twisting her fingers in the locks that tickled the nape of his neck. She scooted forward, bringing his face to hers, pressing her lips soundly against his. She knew for months that Harry would martyr himself if it meant that the war would end. She knew that he was prepared to die for this, prepared to walk into battle without the intentions of walking out. But she <em>hoped</em> he would, she needed him to come out of this alive, because she was certain her life after this would be nothing without him. If she even made it to the otherside, she couldn't picture being there without Harry… Didn't <em>want</em> to be there without Harry.</p>
<p>Harry's hands snakes around her waist, pulling her onto his lap as his tongue swiped the seam of her lips, pushing past her teeth to roam her mouth. She couldn't remember the last time they had kissed like this, the last time they had been together. It had been too long and she needed him, and from the way his hands roamed, he needed her too. Elara broke away from the kiss, dropping her feet to the floor and standing up, she untied her bathrobe and let it fall to the floor, pooling around her ankles. She fought the urge to cover herself, knowing that in the months on the run she had lost a considerable amount of weight. Her body wasn't like it had been a year ago, she was scarred and beaten now. Where there had been curves were now flattened from months of starvation and constant movement. But the way Harry looked at her, his eyes dancing over her body as if he was memorizing every peak and valley, every scar or line, made her hold her arms to her side.</p>
<p>Harry stood up from the window bench and pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it to the floor. He stepped forward, wrapping his arms around Elara and pulling her flush against his chest, stooping over a bit to press his forehead against hers.</p>
<p>"I think it's been too long since I've told you that I love you," Harry whispered.</p>
<p>"Going soft on me again, are you Potter?" she whispered, biting back a smile.</p>
<p>Harry chuckled, his hands dipping low on her back before gripping her rear, "I am <em>anything</em> but soft right now, love."</p>
<p>Elara's head fell backward as she barked out a laugh, which was quickly silenced when Harry seized the opportunity to press his lips against the column of her throat. He spun them around and walked Elara backward until her back met with the wall, both her hands tangled in his hair, wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer to her. Harry's lips left her throat and he looked into her eyes for a moment, searching her face for something she was unsure of.</p>
<p>"What?" she asked, feeling nervous under the intensity of his gaze.</p>
<p>"You are <em>so</em> beautiful," he whispered, placing his lips on hers before pulling away again. "All of those things you feel, all of the hurt I've put on your shoulders, and you are still so beautiful."</p>
<p>"You haven't hurt me, Harry."</p>
<p>"I have," he said, pressing his lips against her throat again, mumbling into it as he moved toward her collar. "I dragged you into this and I will never forgive myself for that. But I love you and I am so glad I have you here with me."</p>
<p>Elara opened her mouth to reply, to tell him that he was <em>not</em> the reason she was in this mess, that she had put herself into terrible situation after terrible situation for almost two years now, trying to dig her family out of the grave they were burying themselves in. But all she managed was a moan as his hand left her backside to dip between them and stroke her. As he moved his fingers back and forth, sliding through her folds and teasing the bundle of nerves she sighed, gripping his shoulders.</p>
<p>"You're the best thing that has happened to me," she said in a breathless whimper.</p>
<p>Harry surged forward, slanting his lips over hers and kissing her deeply, his fingers pressing their way into her entrance and stroking her from the inside. She whined into the kiss, her hips grinding down against his hand. In a matter of minutes, she felt her knees go weak as she crested, pressing her face into the crook of his neck to muffle her cries. When his hand left her core, she heard the sound of his buckle being undone and she reached down to yank at his zipper, shoving his trousers and shorts down his hips.</p>
<p>Harry's hands gripped the underside of her thighs and hoisted her up, pressing her harder against the wall. Elara wrapped her legs around his waist and pushed her hand between them, helping him line himself up at her center before he pushed into her in one fluid movement. Elara gasped, gripping onto Harry's shoulders hard as he stilled, feeling herself stretch around him. Finally, she wiggled her hips, begging for friction and Harry finally began moving.</p>
<p>Elara's fingers dug into his back, her thighs shaking as she locked her ankles, holding herself in place. Harry pumped into her at a furious pace, his head falling to the crook of her neck, his lips pressing against her chest and collar as he panted. Soon, she felt herself being brought to the edge again, could feel her inner walls clamping down on him, trying to pull him deeper into her. She bucked her hip up against his, creating the friction she needed to come undone again, biting down onto his shoulder to keep from screaming out. Harry soon followed, wrapping his arms around her back and holding her to him as tightly as he could as he shook with his own release.</p>
<p>Elara could feel Harry's arms shaking under her weight and she slowly unwrapped herself from his waist, feeling him slip from her heat as her feet touched the ground. He held her to his chest for several minutes, whispering sweet phrases into her ear as he lightly kissed her neck and shoulder. She held him tightly, feeling the thundering of his heart in his chest against hers. Finally, harry pulled away and tucked himself back into his trousers, fastening the buckle and bending over to retrieve her bathrobe and his shirt. When she shrugged into the robe, he pulled her over to her cot and yanked the blankets back, molding himself to her back and holding her tightly to him.</p>
<p>She wondered why this time felt so emotionally charged. Maybe it was just everything going on, the weight of the world around them, and she tried to remind herself that Harry was under a lot of pressure. But she couldn't shake the feeling that he was saying goodbye to her tonight. Elara rolled over in his arms to face him, reaching up to again, pushing his fringe out of his eyes.</p>
<p>"You don't have to do this," she whispered, her chest feeling tight with emotion.</p>
<p>"What are you talking about?"</p>
<p>"We can leave. Get out of the country, go to… I don't know, America? Or-or Japan? Or even Russia? I don't know… We could go far away and-</p>
<p>"Ellie, I can't run from this," Harry said.</p>
<p>Elara knew that. She knew Harry couldn't run away, knew he wouldn't even <em>if</em> he could, but she was terrified that staying meant he would die. That she would have to live without him and she wasn't sure if she was prepared to do that. But she would never leave his side again, as long as Harry was here, should would remain.</p>
<p>"I know," she said, sadly. "I know you can't."</p>
<p>"Do you want to leave the country?" Harry asked, "I understand if you decide to leave, if it keeps you safe…"</p>
<p>Elara shook her head, "No. I don't want to leave you."</p>
<p>Harry shifted closer, pressing his forehead against hers. "You'll be with me until the end?"</p>
<p>She nodded, feeling a few tears escape her eyes and sink into her pillow. "Until the end."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0038"><h2>38. Chapter 38</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 38: Intention is Everything</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Afraid by The Neighbourhood</em>
</p><hr/><p>It had been three weeks since Draco returned to Hogwarts, and he knew it was only a matter of time before everything that hung in such precarious balance finally toppled over. There had been no mention of his defection, something he was sure would come in mention by way of The Carrows and their love of the <em>cruciatus</em> curse… Or any curse they could think of to use to torture him, really. But when the second week passed with no utterance of his betrayal, he began to worry.</p><p>Were they waiting? Were they standing by for someone else to come in and take him out? Did they know and had they been ordered to standby and let him squirm until the Dark Lord himself came to punish him? Or Merlin forbid, Bellatrix..?</p><p>"Your teeth are going to crack from how tightly you have them clenched."</p><p>Draco looked up from his Transfiguration text at the sound of Ginny's voice. He had been staring at the same page for at least twenty minutes, unable to focus on whatever he was supposed to be reading. He flinched when Ginny's hand rested on top of his, lightly dragging over his knuckles with her face pulled in concern. He sighed, unclenching his jaw and shaking his head a bit.</p><p>"Sorry," he said.</p><p>"They would know by now, wouldn't they? If they had the information, if anyone would have told them, they would have done it by now."</p><p>"They could be waiting," Draco said. "For all I know, Bellatrix could be their next dinner guest and they're just waiting for her to get here to have the honor of finally killing me off."</p><p>"Don't say that!" Ginny snapped, "If they had the intention of killing you, you'd be dead."</p><p>"You're right. It's far more likely that they'll torture me into madness and then toss my body in the cellar to rot."</p><p>Ginny pursed her lips, her eyebrows creasing with irritation. "No one is going to let you be tortured, Draco. We're almost done with the term, when it's over we'll go into hiding and figure things out with the Order."</p><p>"Because the Order would just <em>love</em> to have another Malfoy on their hands to take care of," he grumbled.</p><p>"There is nothing Malfoy about you besides your looks and your name," Ginny retorted. "We're lucky to have you and Ellie on our side."</p><p>Draco closed his eyes and took a slow breath at the mention of his sister's name. His stomach knotted and he could feel the tightening in his chest. Leaving her behind, in that cottage, had been far more difficult than he would have imagined. He had begged her to come with him, and she had begged him to stay. But they both knew that neither option was feasible. She had a job to do with Potter; whatever the fuck <em>that</em> meant. And Draco couldn't- <em>wouldn't</em>, leave Ginny to fend for herself. Although, she was probably more capable than he was, at this point.</p><p>Elara had looked sickening when he finally saw her. Defiant as ever with her chin held high as Bellatrix forced her to her knees and twisted her hand in her hair, threatening her life, the lives of her friends. When they finally made it out and got to Bill and Fleur's cottage, he couldn't contain himself as he sobbed into her hair. He had been given glimpses over the months, small pieces of information fed to him to say she was alive, that blasted little coin that kept him going. But to see her, emaciated and bruised and still full of fire, it had wrenched his soul into two.</p><p>Leaving her behind without any idea of when he'd see her again, <em>if</em> he'd see her again, was more difficult than the first time he had left her on the Astronomy tower. Everything was different now, changing every day. The air was different, heavy with fear and tension that even he could feel. He was supremely grateful for Potter though, a thought he never thought he'd have in his wildest dreams. Potter would take care of her, he knew that for certain. In the days he spent with them at Shell Cottage it was obvious that the prat cared for her, helping her eat, holding her while she cried, knowing exactly what to do when she broke down…</p><p>"I'm not sure it could be considered lucky," Draco finally said. "Two defected Death Eaters on your hands seems like a death sentence."</p><p>"Being a blood traitor is a death sentence anyway, we were doomed from the start."</p><p>A book slammed to the top of the table they shared in the Library and Draco felt his heart race as he whipped around in his chair, his wand jabbing into Blaise's chest.</p><p>"Sorry, mate." Blaise said, raising his hands in surrender, "Didn't mean to startle you."</p><p>Draco pulled in a few slow breaths, calming his nerves as he stuffed his wand back into his sleeve, "Crept up on me."</p><p>"Got a letter from my mum today," Blaise said, taking the seat across from him. "She's going into hiding."</p><p>"She put that in a letter?!" Ginny asked, her eyes wide with disbelief.</p><p>"She wrote it all in Italian and it looks like a recipe for a healing potion, so yes."</p><p>"Where's she going?" Draco asked.</p><p>Blaise sighed, "Didn't tell me that much. Apparently she was visited by a few Death Eaters shortly after I came back here, didn't go into detail about it but if history proves itself, they tortured her again."</p><p>"Shit," Ginny and Draco said in unison.</p><p>"Yeah, shit." Blaised sighed, running his hand over his face, "She'll be all right though. Mum's tough, she'll be all right."</p><p>Draco felt a tightening in his chest that told him Blaise was trying to convince himself of it more than he was trying to convince them. Not that he could blame Blaise. Emiliana was wealthy and intelligent, the Death Eaters had been trying to recruit her for longer than Draco could recall, probably since the first war. Her defiance would cost her life, if she wasn't careful. A fact that they were all too aware of.</p><p>Silence settled over the small group as they turned back to their studies, working to try and focus on something other than the suffocating air of the world around them. Draco couldn't focus, his heart hammering against his chest as fear continued to creep into his mind. It was <em>too quiet</em> lately, in the castle. The Carrows still enjoyed their nightly rounds of torture to students, but it was almost lackluster compared to how it had been before their short break away for Easter Hols. Suddenly, a thought struck him, Ellie's voice ringing in his head: <em>I think you should go to Snape when you return… I think he's still on our side.</em></p><p>Draco stood from the table abruptly, his chair nearly falling backward as it screeched across the floor. Blaise looked up from the parchment he was writing on, an eyebrow arched high on his forehead, a silent question. Ginny looked at him with concern, her mouth pressed in a thin line, her eyes hard.</p><p>"I… I'll be back later. There's something I have to do," Draco mumbled, shoving his belongings into his bag and slinging it over his shoulder.</p><p>"Are you…?" Ginny trailed off, turning ocean blue eyes up at him.</p><p>"I'm okay, I just need to handle something. I'll talk to you later?" Draco said, trying to keep his voice even.</p><p>Ginny gave a stiff nod and a very unconvincing smile, "Okay. We're dueling later, in the Room of Requirement, a lot of the younger students barely know how to produce a basic shield charm. Could use your help."</p><p>"I'll be there," he promised.</p><p>Draco gave a curt nod in Blaise's direction, his eyes flitting to Ginny trying to silently ask his friend to watch out for his… <em>girlfriend? </em>Blaise returned the look with a shallow nod of understanding and Draco turned on his heel, speeding out of the library.</p><p>He barely took a breath as he walked quickly through the corridors, trying to calm his nerves and slow his pace so he didn't bring too much attention on himself. <em>Go to Snape, he's on our side, I really don't think he's working against us.</em> If there was one thing he knew about his sister, it was that in most scenarios, her intuition was right. It was bloody annoying, most of the time, but he knew he had to listen to her. She was always right. And right now, Draco desperately <em>needed</em> her to be right.</p><p>His closed fist hovered over the heavy wooden door to the Headmaster's office. He squared his shoulders, taking in a shuddering breath. He hadn't spoken to Snape at all since his return to Hogwarts at the start of term, could barely stand to look at the man, not that he was around much to look at in the first place. He kept hidden away most of the time and Draco wondered if that had anything to do with this feeling that Elara had.</p><p>Finally, his knuckles rapped against the door.</p><p>"Come in," Snape's voice drawled from the other side.</p><p>Draco took one last, terrified, breath. Blowing it out slowly through his mouth before he pushed the door open, slipping inside and closing it behind him. He had only been in the office a few times when it was Dumbledore's, but it looked pretty much the same. A few less trinkets than he remembered, a book shelf against the back wall that looked new, holding a host of different bottles and strange looking items that Draco knew had to do with brewing rare potions.</p><p>"Draco," Snape said, looking up from the large desk he sat at. "This is… Unexpected."</p><p>Draco stared at the man for several minutes, his feet feeling rooted to the stone floor where he stood. Snape looked like shit, if he were being honest. He didn't <em>look</em> like a man who was proudly taking over the most powerful wizarding school on the continent. He looked… <em>defeated</em>. Scared, even. Draco silently wished he had Elara's ability to read emotions right now, he could really benefit from knowing exactly what the potion's master was feeling.</p><p>Snape had grown thin, not that he had much excess on him to begin with, but his face was sunken in, sallow. His hair hung in limp curtains around his face, and Draco could make out a few strands of grey in the otherwise jet black locks. He looked older now, as if the last nine months had aged him thirty years.</p><p>"Did you come here to stand in the middle of my office, or do you have a purpose?"</p><p>Draco blinked a few times before stepping forward, setting his bag on the floor by the foot of the tall backed chair and taking a seat. He didn't know what to say. He didn't really know why he had felt such an overwhelming need to come here, to talk to Snape. Sure, Snape had been a confidant in his time at Hogwarts, and he had known the man almost his entire life. But now, it felt wrong. <em>Tainted</em>. Like opening his mouth and saying anything to him would instantly burn his tongue.</p><p>Finally, Draco opened his mouth, with every intention to question the man before him. Instead, what came out was, "I defected."</p><p>It was barely a whisper, and had the quick look of shock that stole the man's face not been there, Draco may have thought he didn't hear it. Snape squared his shoulders, steepling his fingers below his chin and raised an eyebrow at him.</p><p>"I wondered how long it would take," Snape said.</p><p>That hadn't been the response Draco had been expecting. Draco swallowed, trying to bring some moisture to his dry mouth as his eyes shifted over the Headmaster's face before finally settling on a quill that laid on the center of the desk.</p><p>"You knew?" Draco asked.</p><p>"I suspected," Snape said.</p><p>"Do the Carrows…" Draco trailed off, lifting his eyes back to Snape's face and cursing himself in his head for the fear that was evident in his voice.</p><p>"Not to my knowledge," Snape said. "Why have you come here, Draco?"</p><p>Draco huffed out an irritated breath, carding a hand through his hair out of frustration. <em>Because my sister seems to think you're a bloody ally and I don't fucking know why but I felt like I needed to see for myself!</em> "I don't know."</p><p>Snape shifted in his chair and clasped his hands together, resting them on the top of his desk. His black eyes bore into Draco, studying him closely. Finally, he spoke. "There are students in the castle who are actively preparing themselves for battle, I assume you are among them?"</p><p>He already knew the answer, Draco knew that. "Yes."</p><p>"I am not your sister, Draco. I will not pull whatever you have come here to say out of you."</p><p>At the mention of Elara, something deep inside of his belly burned with anger, "Don't talk about her. You don't get to talk of her! This is <em>your fault</em>! She's out there risking her fucking life while I'm trapped here, and it is <em>your fault</em>."</p><p>Snape bristled before leaning over his desk, "As I recall, it was <em>you</em> who led the Death Eaters into this castle. It was <em>Elara</em> who created the spell to allow it to happen. You are at much fault as I am."</p><p>"You killed him!" Draco said, jumping to his feet and scrubbing his face with his hands, praying for the nausea rolling in his gut to go away, "You <em>killed </em>him! I- I wasn't going to! I had lowered my wand! I was going to walk away and then you-</p><p>"I did what was necessary."</p><p>"What was necessary?!" Draco repeated with an incredulous tone, his voice rising ever higher in volume. "Please fucking explain to me how <em>that</em> was necessary?! We're all going to <em>die</em>, you know that, don't you?! He's going to come here and kill every last one of us! My parents-"</p><p>Draco's voice faltered as realization tumbled over him. <em>My parents</em>. What had he done? He had had openly defied the Dark Lord, openly defied <em>Bellatrix</em>, and his parents were left behind. His <em>mother</em> was left behind to pick up the pieces and… <em>Oh God. They'll kill her</em>. The nausea that had been burning in his gut made its way up his throat as he heaved, burning bile spilling past his lips and splashing onto the stone floor. His hands gripped his knees as he stood bent over, taking in large breaths to try and calm his racing heart. Finally, he stood up, casting a cleaning charm to clear away to sick on the floor and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.</p><p>"Sit," Snape said. It wasn't a request.</p><p>Draco clenched his teeth, feeling the strain in his jaw as his nostrils flared with angry breaths. He sat back down in the chair, Snape's gaze pinning him to the spot. Snape pushed away from the desk walking to a small cart in the corner of the office and picked up a bottle, he filled two crystal tumblers half way with amber liquid and stepped back to his desk, handing one to Draco.</p><p>"I assume you have a reason for being here and it's not just to vomit on my floor."</p><p>Draco took a sip of the Firewhiskey, relishing in the burn of it on his throat. "Elara thinks you're still part of the Order."</p><p>"You've seen her?"</p><p>Draco nodded, "She said I should come to you."</p><p>"At the risk of interrupting what I am sure was a very well thought lie, Severus. I believe young Mr. Malfoy has proven he is deserving of the truth. With the understanding that nothing that is said in this office, will leave it."</p><p>The voice rocked Draco to his core and his eyes fell immediately to the portrait of Dumbledore centered behind Snape's tall chair. He hadn't noticed it before, had been empty when he entered? He felt his chest tighten again the memories of the night on the astronomy tower slamming into the front of his mind. He took a shaky breath and looked at the portrait, even as a painting his eyes twinkled knowingly at him, as if he knew something about Draco that he didn't know about himsef.</p><p>"I'm sorry," Draco whispered.</p><p>"Severus, if you would..?"</p><p>Snape cleared his throat, grabbing his wand and flicking his wrist. Draco heard the lock on the door click into place. Snape took a slow breath, a sip of his Firewhiskey, and began talking.</p><hr/><p>Three hours later Draco's legs dangled from his broom as he hovered high above the Quidditch pitch. His mind was reeling, his thought speeding through his head so fast he could barely grasp onto them. Snape and Dumbledore's portait had talked for a long time, longer than he had ever talked to either of them. When Snape had finished speaking, Draco sat there staring at the man, dumbfounded.</p><p>He had been <em>ordered</em> to kill Dumbledore, by Dumbledore <em>himself</em>.</p><p>Draco closed his eyes, taking a deep breath of cool spring air. Elara had been right about Snape, <em>of course she had</em>. And Snape had some strange, undying loyalty to Dumbledore. It was all planned, from the beginning. Draco never would have been the one to cast the curse, because Dumbledore had made sure that it would be Snape. Dumbledore had asked Snape to assist him before his mother had even gone to the man! Dumbledore had <em>known everything</em>, and he <em>still</em> let it all unfold this way!</p><p>Regardless of Snape's allegiances, it didn't change the outcome. Dumbledore still died, The Carrows were still torturing students, his parents were still in danger, Elara was still on the run…</p><p>He wasn't sure if having the knowlege was better or worse and the only thing he wanted to do was either unload all of these findings with his sister, or scream into the abyss. So, he screamed. He flew as high as his broom would take him and he bellowed at the top of his lungs, screaming until his throat felt raw and his stomach ached. He screamed until his voice gave out, breaking completely and going hoarse.</p><p>When he flew back to the pitch, Ginny stood in the center of the wet grass, staring up at him.</p><p>"Did the sky personally offend you?" she asked, when his feet touched the earth next to her.</p><p>Draco chewed at the inside of his cheek, his lips twisting down to the side as he said nothing. He couldn't tell her everything he had been told, but he had a job to do now. He had a purpose. He had to make sure the Order succeeded. Dumbledore's death would not be in vain, <em>Draco's</em> death would not be in vain. Because as it was, he was certain he would not make it out of this alive.</p><p>"Gonna tell me where you ran off to?" Ginny asked.</p><p>"No."</p><p>Ginny drew in a breath and nodded, "Okay. Did you do something stupid?"</p><p>Draco huffed out a mirthless laugh, "Probably."</p><p>"A good stupid or a bad stupid?"</p><p>Draco shrugged, "That's yet to be determined."</p><p>"I've grown up in a family of Gryffindors, Draco. I can spot detrimental determination better than a seeker can spot a snitch. Whatever it is that you're planning, don't get yourself killed."</p><p>"That's the problem, isn't it?" Draco whispered, taking the hand that Ginny held out to him and feeling his heart skip a beat when their fingers intertwined. "I haven't got a plan. I have no idea what is going to happen and I'm faily certain none of us will make it out alive."</p><p>"That's an awfully bleak way to look at it," she said, giving him a small tug as she began walking back toward the castle.</p><p>"What other way is there to look at it?"</p><p>Ginny hummed, tapping her chin for a moment before stopping mid stride and stepping in front of him, "Do you believe that the Order will succeed?"</p><p>"I… I don't know."</p><p>"Okay, what about… What about Ellie? Do you believe <em>she</em> will succeed with whatever it is she's doing? That Harry, Hermione, and my stupid brother will succeed?"</p><p>"I want to," Draco said. "Ellie always does. Potter and his friends always do. I want to believe they're going to be successful."</p><p>"I have no idea what they're doing," Ginny admitted. "But whatever it is, it's important. And Harry can be a bit thick sometimes, god knows Ron is a bit thick all the time, but Ellie and Hermione aren't. Whatever it is that they're doing is going to end this, we're going to win."</p><p>"How can you be so sure?" Draco murmured, "We don't even know what they're doing, or… Or where they are."</p><p>"Because it <em>has</em> to," she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I know that putting your faith in anyone is hard for you to do. And I know you and Harry don't get on, so put your faith in me, Draco. I believe without a doubt, that we're going to get through this. That it's going to end in victory. You have to believe it, too. I need you to believe it, too."</p><p>She pressed up on her toes and planted a chaste kiss on the corner of his mouth before pulling him toward the castle again, and he wondered if he could do it. If he could actually <em>believe</em> that Potter would be successful.</p><hr/><p>It felt like it took longer than normal for the sun to break over the horizon and fill her room with the golden hue. Elara had been lying awake for at least two hours now, staring up at the ceiling at Hermione slept in the bed across from her, having taken a healthy dose of Dreamless Sleep the night before.</p><p>Hermione had yet to sleep through a night without waking up from the memory of being tortured by Elara's aunt, on the floor of her childhood home. The first few nights, Elara had climbed into the bed with her and pressed her fingers to her temple, burying it as far as she could, only to have it spring forward again only an hour later. Try as she might, Elara couldn't hide this for Hermione. She couldn't comfort her mind. She couldn't take the emotions from her. She wanted to, more than anything, she wanted to.</p><p>After two weeks, Hermione had finally taken Fleur up on her offer of Dreamless Sleep.</p><p>Elara wished she would have done the same. She would give her left arm for a full night's sleep. Morbidly, she chuckled under her breath at that. She had almost given her left arm already. The fingers on her right hand found the raised, purple scars that began at her elbow and ran up to her shoulder, spidering out and twisting around her arm. She sighed, shaking the thought from her head and swung her legs over the side of the camp bed she slept on, sliding her feet into a pair of slippers and sneaking out of the room.</p><p>She padded down the stairs and into the kitchen, surprised to see Fleur already awake and buzzing about. The beautiful woman turned to look at her, a soft smile on her face as she took the whistling kettle off the cook top and pulled two mugs from the cabinet.</p><p>"Bonjour," Fleur practically sang as she filled the mug, crossing the room and taking a seat at the table. She set the other mug down at the empty place across from her, givin Elara a pointed look.</p><p>"Bonjour," Elara returned. "You're up early."</p><p>"The wind," Fleur said, motioning to the window.</p><p>Elara looked out and could see the tops of the trees swaying violently against the strong breeze. She nodded in understanding and took a sip from her mug, "Thank you."</p><p>Fleur hummed in acknowledgment, "You 'ave not slept."</p><p>Elara sighed, "Not really, no."</p><p>"Because of your plans to leave today?"</p><p>Elara's eyes widened a bit as she coughed, choking on the hot sip of tea she had taken, "W-what?"</p><p>Fleur rolled her eyes and a small smirk settled on her lips, "My 'usband is a Curse Breaker. there is no such thing as a silencing charm in our house."</p><p>Elara blanched, instantly feeling both nervous and embarrassed, "You've heard…?"</p><p>"Everything."</p><p>"Oh…" Elara blew out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding, "I'm sorry."</p><p>"Do not feel embarrassed," Fleur said. "Love is hard to come by and should be expressed. I am more concerned that you have made deals with the Goblin."</p><p>"You know about that, too?!" Elara asked, feeling slightly panicked.</p><p>"Don't worry, Bill and I will keep your secrets. I owe much to 'Arry, I will not betray that trust."</p><p>"We all owe a lot to Harry," Elara whispered.</p><p>"That is probably true," Fleur took a sip from her mug and then a sad smile stole her face as she looked at Elara. "You worry for him."</p><p>"Constantly."</p><p>"Ah," Fleur said, wrapping her long fingers around her mug, the smile still on her face. "But 'Arry is very brave, you know."</p><p>"I know," Elara said. "But that's the problem, isn't it?"</p><p>"How so?"</p><p>"We're breaking into bloody Gringotts!" Elara said, giving up on keeping the secret.</p><p>Fleur already knew, Bill clearly knew, what was the point? She was terrified and no one else seemed to understand the <em>consequences</em> of doing something like this. They weren't going to be able to just walk away unscathed from this, she was sure of it. By the time they got to the ancient vaults, reinforcements would be called in and they would all be arrested or killed. And the house full of Gryffindors and their <em>ridiculous</em> self-sacrificing bravery was going to get them all killed, and none of them wanted to listen to her about that fact!</p><p>"May I offer advice?" Fleur said, her face taking on a strangely ethereal look as she tilted her head and stared at Elara.</p><p>Elara nodded, finding it difficult to look away from Fleur. "Yes."</p><p>"Sometimes the right answer does not make sense. If you spend too long seeking the logic, you will miss the answer altogether."</p><p>"I don't understand," Elara said, the words rolling in her mind.</p><p>Fleur pursed her lips as if she was trying to come up with a better way to get her point across, finally, she smiled. "If you must go to Gringotts to do something important, the <em>how</em> is not what matters. It is the <em>why</em>. You must do something that is greater than you, to do that you must focus on the intention, not the mechanics."</p><p>Elara raised an eyebrow at her, "So I should just ignore the fact that we're breaking into the most secure Wizarding bank in the world and will probably die from getting eaten by a dragon?"</p><p>Fleur laughed, "Ah, but you will not be eaten. I know from experience that this is not the first time 'Arry needed to overcome a dragon. And last time, there was a lot less at stake."</p><p>Elara sighed, running her fingers through her hair to shove it from her face, "You can't tell anyone what we're doing. If anyone finds out it could ruin everything."</p><p>"Lucky for you, Bill and I are very efficient at keeping secrets."</p><p>Fleur reached out, her hand covering Elara's and she gave it a small squeeze before standing up and moving to the stove, "I will make breakfast, it seems as if we are not the only ones awake anymore."</p><p>Elara nodded, rolling over Fleur's words as she heard the creaking of the stairs and the rustling in the sitting room. She could hear the hushed whispers of Harry, could feel his mounting anxiety as he talked. She looked through the door way and saw a halo of bushy curls sitting next to Harry, showing him something in a book. Perhaps Fleur was right… Maybe the intention was more important than the mechanics. If breaking into Gringotts, double crossing a goblin, and being roasted alive by a dragon was what would bring the downfall of Voldemort, then…</p><p>She sighed.</p><p>
  <em>I guess I'll get eaten by a dragon.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>.</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey everyone, thanks for reading!<br/>So I'm thinking this will end up somewhere around 45 chapters. But I'm still not 100% sure yet lol on the bright side, I WILL be writing an Epilogue! So there's that.<br/>until next week!<br/>xo</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0039"><h2>39. Chapter 39</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 39: Bank Robbery</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Raise Your Weapons by Deadmau5</em>
</p><hr/><p>The reflection of her face in the mirror was startling. To the common passerby, Elara knew she now looked almost identical to her mother. <em>Almost</em>. There were a few things that were off of course, the eye color, the height, and the fact that her mother was far more poised than Elara could ever hope to be. But still, she gave it her best effort, straightening her spine and setting her shoulders back as she lifted her chin just a bit.</p><p>Yes, to the average witch or wizard, Elara looked exactly like Narcissa Malfoy. The only problem was, they weren't attempting to thwart the average witch or wizard, they were trying to get past Goblins.</p><p>"Ready?" Hermione asked, emerging from the bathroom and shifting uncomfortably in her ornate robes.</p><p>"You look terrifying," Elara said, swallowing the burn that rose in her throat of its own accord.</p><p>"It's not the greatest look, that's for certain," Hermione agreed.</p><p>"You need to straighten your back, walk with your nose in the air a bit," Elara advised. "You need to pretend that you're better than every single person around you. She may be completely <em>insane</em>, but she's still an old pureblood."</p><p>Hermione gave a sharp nod, instantly pulling her shoulders back and lifting her head in the air, looking down her nose at Elara, "Like this?"</p><p>Elara made a face, cringing away from her a bit. "Yeah, just like that."</p><p>"Ready?" Harry asked, pushing open the door and poking his head into the room. He was holding his invisibility cloak and his eyes went wide when they landed on the pair of girls. "Blimey, you both look… convincing."</p><p>"Well, that's rather the point," Hermione said. "Where's Ron?"</p><p>"He's outside already with Griphook."</p><hr/><p>Elara's heart was thundering in her chest as her feet hit the cobblestone in the streets of Diagon Alley. The same eerie sickness filled her gut as the last time she was here, and she found herself looking over her shoulder to survey her surroundings. There were posters plastered to every surface, pictures of Harry with large bold "UNDESIREABLE NUMBER ONE" headlining every print. The pathways sparkled in the sunlight from the glass of broken windows and the ones that hadn't already been busted out, were boarded over, sealing off the shops from the alley. Walking the streets were men in black cloaks and silver masks and Elara felt her heart skip. Her mind instantly fell back to the last time she was here over Christmas, and her heart clenched at the thought of Ted. She took a shaky breath as she shook the thought from her head, instead looking around at the men, trying to see if she recognized any of them. The possibility that her father may be roaming the cobblestone streets struck her and she felt her eyes widen at the realization of how she and Draco had left the Manor. If her father was here… But then again, the likelihood of <em>either </em>of her parents being able to leave the Manor after both of their children had openly defied the Dark Lord? Slim to none.</p><p>She felt, rather than saw, Harry's hand wrap around hers briefly and she cleared her throat, taking a step to move ahead. Hermione and Ron were already on their path to the bank, a few feet ahead of Elara and Harry. Hermione walked with purpose, the black walnut wand held tightly in her grip at her side, each stride stronger than the one before it. Elara's breath caught in her throat, her heart pounding hard when someone stopped in front of Hermione, questioning her on her business in Diagon Alley.</p><p>"...Perhaps your credit is not as good with him as mine is, Travers." Elara heard Hermione say.</p><p>She smirked. <em>We might actually pull this off,</em> Elara thought as the Death Eater conceded, mumbling an apology and sauntering off.</p><p>Elara skipped her potion this morning. She wanted to take it, knowing that it would be easier for her to stay focused if she didn't need to worry about everyone else's emotions, but Hermione had been right in her suggestion. If they <em>knew</em> that someone was feeling suspicious beforehand, it could benefit them. Give them time to recover from whatever it was that may be thrown at them. She had decided on a signal to let Harry and the others know if the Goblins were on to them. Elara would make a small "ahem" sound, quiet enough to not raise any suspicion, but enough that it would get their attention.</p><p>She took in a deep breath, blowing it out through shaking lips as she climbed the stone steps leading into Gringotts. This was it. There was no going back now, no matter how much Elara's gut twisted around in protest. She clung to Harry's words as they entered the bank, "<em>There has to be a reason she was so upset about the vault. There has to be a horcrux in there."</em> There had to be. Because if they somehow, by the grace of Merlin, made it into the vault to find <em>nothing</em>, they would certainly be killed. Because she seriously doubted that Harry would leave the place empty handed.</p><p>Elara stood slightly behind Hermione and Ron and they approached the counter and began speaking to the Goblin. The name plaque on his desk said Bogrod and he had a kind face; she briefly wondered what the Goblins' stance was with the war, if it would affect their communities the way it was tearing through the Wizarding community. But then again, Goblins didn't like to get involved in Wizarding matters, Griphook had made that abundantly clear.</p><p>She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to focus, stuffing her own emotions away into a locked trunk to deal with later. She couldn't have a repeat of what happened at the Manor, she couldn't allow her emotions to best her this time. Their lives very much depended on it. As Hermione began talking, she felt the suspicion grow within the Goblin at the desk. The more questions Hermione answered, the more combative she became toward Bogrod, the less he believed them.</p><p>"Ahem," Elara coughed into her hand quietly.</p><p>She saw Ron give her a glance over his shoulder, barely moving his head at all but enough to say he had heard her. She watched as he lightly tugged at Hermione's sleeve, just enough that she would feel a bit of resistance and be made aware that something was off.</p><p>The incertitude building in Bogrod was rising in seconds. She watched as he gave a pointed look to someone, a guard, perhaps? When he asked to see Bellatrix's wand, Hermione froze.</p><p>"M-my wand?"</p><p>"Security purposes, of course, Madam Lestrange, you understand."</p><p>"Ahem," Elara coughed again, a little louder this time.</p><p>"Mrs. Malfoy, are you here to enter your... " Bogrod trailed off, his eyes suddenly glazing over for a moment before clearing and Elara felt all of the stress that had been building in him ease away, melting from him like butter on a hot knife. His entire being seemed to be zapped of any emotional thought or curiosities and he felt like a blank slate, no more emotional than the stuffed pink dragon she slept with in her bed as a child.</p><p>"Right this way," he said.</p><p>Elara felt her eyes grow wider for a moment before she schooled her expression and took a deep breath, following the small group as Bogrod led them toward the entrance to the vaults. When they passed through the doors and were in the safety of solitude, with no one but the entranced Goblin, Harry pulled the cloak off his shoulders and set Griphook down from his back.</p><p>"Harry!" Hermione said, "What did you do to him?!"</p><p>"He's <em>Imperiused</em>," Elara answered.</p><p>Hermione looked mutinous, "<em>Imperiused</em>?! Harry! You understand that's an unforgivable for a <em>reason</em>?! It's completely <em>illegal</em>!"</p><p>"Hate to break it to you, Hermione, but we're breaking into Gringotts right now. I'm fairly certain my use of an Unforgivable isn't the only law being broken," Harry said.</p><p>"Besides, he had to do something! Even I could tell he was on to us!" Ron said.</p><p>"We need to go," Elara interjected.</p><p>She climbed into the cart and twisted her hands in her lap as she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. The second Griphook closed the small door on the cart, it took off. Elara's stomach flipped as the cart gained speed, twisting and turning between the stalagmites as it went deeper into the sub-levels of Gringotts. Elara had never been this deep into the bank before, her personal vault certainly did not require such protection. She knew of the dragon guarding the deep vaults simply from the knowledge being passed down from her father.</p><p>"What are we looking for when we get in?" Ron yelled to Harry, the force of the air rushing past them from the speed of the cart, muffling his words.</p><p>"It'll be something small, something that has to do with Hogwarts, I reckon! I think… I think I'll be able to feel it, like I could the locket," Harry answered.</p><p>"What is that?!" Elara shouted, pointing to a large waterfall up ahead.</p><p>"Thief's Downfall," Griphook replied. "Washes away all enchantments to reveal the true identity of the person beneath it."</p><p>"Well that's just bloody fantastic," Ron said, his eyebrows in his hairline. "What are we going to do?!"</p><p>"Can we stop it?" Elara asked, as the waterfall sped toward them.</p><p>"There is no way to hide from it," Griphook said.</p><p>"It's fine!" Harry called out, "Really, the least of our worries."</p><p>"They'll be alerted!" Griphook shouted.</p><p>"Great! And we couldn't have known about that <em>before</em>?!" Harry shouted, his frustration rising.</p><p>Before any argument could continue, Elara felt the water of the Thief's Downfall wash over her, filling her mouth and soaking every strand of hair on her head. She sputtered, coughing hard as she tried to breathe. When she finally caught her breath, the cart took a sharp turn, toppling it from the tracks and sent the group hurtling toward the ground.</p><p>"<em>Molliare!" </em>Hermione shouted, pointing her wand to the ground.</p><p>Elara felt her body go weightless, the impact onto the ground nothing more than a smack to a pillow. With an "oomph!" she landed on her backside, legs sprawled out under her and robes sopping wet and heavy. Harry grabbed her elbow, hoisting her to her feet as she used her wand to dry herself.</p><p>"How are we supposed to get out now?!" Ron cried.</p><p>"We'll worry about that when we get to it!" Harry said.</p><p>Elara groaned, the lack of escape plan heightening the fear in her chest. She could hear voices echoing above them and she knew their time was becoming extremely limited. "We need to go!"</p><p>"She's right," Griphook said, "They've been alerted, they know there are thieves! We need him!"</p><p>Griphook pointed to the other Goblin who was shaking his head as the <em>Imperius</em> charm wore off. His eyes grew wide with understanding as he realized his surroundings. Harry quickly brandished his wand, pointing it at him and casting the curse. The Goblin's eyes glazed over once more and he looked complacent, his mood completely mild and unassuming.</p><p>Griphook led the way, grabbing a set of something he called "clankers" and moving deep into the cavernous vaults. Elara could feel the prickling magic in the air, something different surrounding them than the normal, everyday hum of magic she had grown accustomed to feeling in her life.</p><p>As they rounded the corner, her eyes bulged at the sight of the dragon. Enormous, bigger than she could have even imagined, and… <em>pale</em>. Sickly, almost. Her brows pulled together as she stared at the beast. It's large body was covered in deep scars and its eyes a milky white color that suggested it couldn't see.</p><p>"It's partially blind," Griphook confirmed. "But it knows to expect pain when it hears this. It will move and allow us access! We need Bogrod to get us into the vault!"</p><p>"That's barbaric!" Hermione said, as Griphook gave a wicked smile and began shaking the clanker back and forth.</p><p>The sound was loud, reverberating off the stone walls and practically vibrating inside of Elara's head. Her hands flew to the sides of her head, trying to muffle the loud noise as they moved forward toward the vault's door. Harry pointed his wand at Bogrod again, and the Goblin placed his hand against the door.</p><p>A series of loud clicks and grinding sounds accompanied the clanking. Elara felt her head starting to split open from the volume of it, the blood in her ears pounding in time with the clankers. Finally, the door opened and they all stepped inside.</p><p>The room was dark, much darker than it had been in the cavern of the bank they had just been standing. Elara could barely see more than a few inches in front of her. Ron cast a Lumos and there was a collective gasp as they looked around the vault. There were piles upon piles of gold and jewels, stacked high along the walls, nearly scraping the ceiling. There were crowns, tiaras, necklaces, and an assortment of broaches and bracelets that seemed to be never ending. Old crystals and strange objects that glittered enticingly in the soft glow of the <em>Lumos</em> and reflecting little dots of light around the stone walls. There were several suits of armor standing guard, lined up against the back wall.</p><p>"Harry, do you think- OUCH!" Hermione had lifted something from a stack, dropping it instantly as she cried in pain. Elara gasped as the object bounced on the ground, multiplying and hitting her ankles, burning through her cloak and blistering her skin instantly.</p><p>"<em>Gemino and Flagrante</em> curses," Griphook said. "Anything you touch will multiply and burn. Meant to crush whoever enters."</p><p>"Fuck!" Ron said, "This just keeps getting better!"</p><p>"Don't touch <em>anything</em>!" Harry said, "Just… Just look around! It'll be something smaller, probably have a symbol on it… Badger or Eagle…"</p><p>Elara, Hermione, and Harry all joined Ron with casting <em>Lumos</em> and the room lit up, sparkling brilliantly against the gold, jewels, and trinkets. Elara carefully turned on the spot, looking around her for anything that could be a horcrux. Her heart was racing as she kept her feet cemented to the floor. She was a bit of a bull in a china shop on a <em>good</em> day, so the chances of her falling off balance and knocking everything around her to the ground was astronomical. She took slow breaths, trying to remain calm to keep any jerkiness out of her motions.</p><p>"Shit!" Ron swore, his elbow knocking into a stack of jewels behind him.</p><p>The jewels tumbled to the ground, multiplying and burning, singeing holes into their robes. As Elara turned back to face Ron, she felt one of the scalding jewels land under her boot, before she could lift her foot, she slipped. On instinct, her arms spread out as she fell backward, a stack of golden trinkets tumbling on top of her. She cried out in pain as the small objects hit her skin, searing through her clothes and instantly blistering her flesh. Ron turned and grabbed her burnt wrist, pulling her out from under the ever growing pile of items.</p><p>"There!" Harry cried, pointing to the far side of the vault.</p><p>In the corner, near the ceiling on top of a shelf was a golden cup with a handle on either side and a badger etched into the front of it.</p><p>"How are we going to get it?!" Elara asked, her tone desperate as the tiny trinkets kept multiplying around her.</p><p>Hermione pointed her wand toward Harry, "<em>Levicorpus!"</em> she shouted.</p><p>Harry was thrust upward into the air by his ankle, his body smacking into one of the suits of armor lining the walls. Hermione yelped as the suit tumbled over and began multiplying.</p><p>"The sword! Hermione! Give me the sword!" Harry yelled.</p><p>The heat from the burning objects was sweltering. Elara felt sweat begin the bead on her forehead and drip down her back. It was suffocating, the lack of cool oxygen almost worse than the burns on her legs as everything around them continued to multiply. She could hear the clankers begin from outside again, and she felt her heart skip a beat.</p><p>"Harry! They're coming! We need to hurry!" Elara called.</p><p>"I've got it!" Harry shouted, hooking the handle of the cup on the shaft of the sword. "Hermione, put me- <em>ARRGH!</em>"</p><p>As Hermione cancelled the <em>Levicorpus</em>, Harry dropped to the ever growing sea of gold and suits of armor, the sword falling from his grip. Elara screamed out in pain, her cries met by identical ones from Ron and Hermione, as the objects grew and came nearly to their waists, burning into them and burying the Goblins. Elara saw Ron begin to dig through the items, pulling Bogrod from the sea of metal and fire and Harry heaved Griphook onto his shoulders.</p><p>Griphook had one hand fisted into Harry's hair as he leaned as far as he could on his shoulders, reaching for the sword.</p><p>"We need to get out of here!" Hermione cried, "We need to go! Now!"</p><p>"Open the door!" Harry yelled, struggling against Griphook for the sword.</p><p>Ron waded through the burning gold and picked up Bogrod's hand, pressing it against the door. The door flew open and the mountain of gold that had accumulated inside, spilled out into the cavern, multiplying and burning against everything in its path. Elara leaned over to grasp onto Hermione's hand, pulling her from the vault.</p><p>"THIEVES!" Griphook yelled, running toward the sound of the clankers. "THIEVES! OVER HERE!"</p><p>"Shit!" Harry said, "He got the sword! He took the fucking sword!"</p><p>"We need to go!" Elara said, "We can worry about that later, we need to get out of here, <em>now</em>!"</p><p>"I have an idea!" Hermione said, "I have an idea but it's absolutely <em>mental</em>!"</p><p>"Well, let's hear it then!" Ron said, "We don't really have time to figure out anything better!"</p><p>"<em>Relashio!" </em>Hermione cried, pointing her wand to the cuffs that held the dragon tethered to the floor. "Let's go!"</p><p>"Go?! <em>Go on what?!</em>" Elara said.</p><p>"The dragon!" Hermione shouted, as if it were the most obvious thing she had ever said.</p><p>"Brilliant!" Ron said, his eyes lit up with excitement as a huge grin stole his face.</p><p>"Yeah, fine! Let's go!" Harry said, pulling at Elara's elbow and moving toward the dragon.</p><p>The dragon had yet to realize it was unchained, something Elara felt grateful for. Harry and Ron knelt to the ground, creating a step with their hands for Hermione and Elara to use to hoist themselves onto the back of the beast. Once both girls were on its back, they hooked their legs around one of the many great spikes lining the dragon's spine and offered hands down to help pull Ron and Harry up. Harry settled behind Elara, half his weight on her as they laid flat to the back. Elara's fingers dug between the massive scales that covered it, several inches thick and hard as steel. She gripped hard, even with her wand in one hand, she held on with as much strength as she could muster.</p><p>Finally, the dragon realized it was uncuffed and reared back, pushing off from the ground and surging upward. It blew massive flames through the caverns, blasting its way through the labyrinth of underground.</p><p>"We aren't going to fit!" Hermione shouted, pointing up.</p><p>"<em>Defodio</em>!" Elara bellowed, pointing her wand toward the stone, watching as it fell away.</p><p>Hermione, Ron and Harry all began yelling the same spell, carving away at the cavern walls to widen it for escape. The dragon's snout faced upward, taking in a long breath as the cool air from above began to filter into the vaults. The lighting became brighter, Elara's eyes taking a second to adjust from the lack of light just seconds before.</p><p>Finally, with one last belch of flame from the dragon, they burst through the floor, landing in the foyer of the massive bank. Screams filled the air and Elara felt the stunning spells zoom past her, bouncing off the dragon's scale and ricocheting into the walls. A deafening roar came from the dragon as it blew another flame from its snout before busting through the doors and pushing off the ground.</p><p>"Where is it going?!" Hermione yelled.</p><p>"I don't know!" Ron answered, "But it's better than being here!"</p><p>As the dragon climbed ever higher in the sky, the rush of air filling Elara's ears and burning against her blistered skin, she felt absolutely <em>elated</em>. They had done it! They had broken into Gringotts, got the horcrux, and made it out <em>alive</em>! She knew the sword, however, was gone again. But they could figure it out later, there would be something, <em>there had to be something</em> that they could use to rid of the horcrux. They would figure it out, Elara was sure of it. They had come this far, she was <em>riding on the back of a dragon</em>, for Merlin's sake! Surely, they could figure out a way to destroy the horcrux?!</p><p>"I can't believe we did it!" Elara shouted, laughing loudly as she pulled her head up from where it was buried against her arm. Her hair flew behind her, pulling in the wind and whipping around her face.</p><p>"Don't get too excited, we still have to get off this thing!" Harry laughed, "We could jump!"</p><p>Elara looked down for the first time and saw they were over a large body of water. Her heart plummeted and she looked over her shoulder at Harry, "I can't swim!" she said, panic in her voice. "I never learned how to swim!"</p><p>"We need to jump!" Hermione shouted.</p><p>"Do you trust me?" Harry asked.</p><p>"Yes, of course I do."</p><p>"Then we have to jump," he said, reaching up to grab her blistered and swollen hand.</p><p>"Okay," Elara said, nodding frantically.</p><p>"Harry, Ellie! Now! We need to jump now!" Hermione yelled.</p><p>"Count of three," Harry said. "One… Two… Three!"</p><p>On three, Harry and Elara let go of the dragon's back and pushed off with their feet. Somehow, Harry's other hand found Elara's arm and he held onto her as they plummeted toward the water.</p><p>"Hold your breath!" Harry yelled, taking in a deep breath.</p><p>Elara followed suit, taking in a deep breath and holding it. When her body slammed into the surface of the water, it took everything in her not to yell out in pain. The icy water burned against her horribly inflamed skin, not to mention the force of breaking the surface from such a height. Elara thrashed in the water, panic taking her in as she sank even deeper into the murky depths of the lake they landed in.</p><p>Finally, she felt Harry's hands tighten around her wrists and she was being pulled upward. She kicked her legs as hard as she could, trying to stay calm as her lungs began to burn for air. Harry's hands moved from her wrists, hooking beneath her underarms and he shoved her upward, her head breaking through the surface of the water.</p><p>Elara gasped for breath, her arms and legs moving wildly in the water, her feet trying desperately to find something stable to land on. She felt herself begin to slip under the surface again, her futile effort of holding onto the water proving useless. Finally, she felt a pair of arms encircle her waist.</p><p>"I'm here," Harry whispered in her ear. "I've got you."</p><p>Elara's teeth chattered from the cold of the water and nodded, "Okay."</p><p>"Look!" Hermione shouted, pointing in front of her, "Land! It's not far off!"</p><p>As Harry pulled them toward the shore, Elara's legs kicking as she tried to help propel them forward, she could feel the exact moment something in Harry changed. She felt the rush of adrenaline that had been pulsing through him die completely, replaced by fear and confusion and white hot <em>fury</em>.</p><p>"Harry?!" Elara asked, as Harry's body began to go slack.</p><p>Harry's face screwed up in pain, his eyes slamming shut, wet hands leaving Elara's waist and reaching up to clutch his head. Elara panicked for a moment until she realized her feet were finally hitting something solid. Sinking and sliding to the side as she tried to find purchase in the wet sand, she held on to Harry, pulling him forward toward the shore.</p><p>"Harry?! Are you okay?! What is it?!"</p><p>Harry yelled out, his knees sinking into the mucky shore as they finally collapsed onto land, "He knows."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I apologize that this update was a day late! I try to be on time, but alas, life often has other things in mind!<br/>please leave a review! Thank you for reading!!<br/>xo</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0040"><h2>40. Chapter 40</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 40: One in the Same</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Devil Like Me by Rainbow Kitten Surprise</em>
</p><hr/><p>Elara felt the blood drain from her face as the gravity of the two words sank into her. <em>He knows</em>. Her heart began speeding in her chest, pounding violently against her sternum as she fell beside Harry, her blistered skin hot and angry beneath the heavy, wet fabric of her robes.</p><p>"He knows?" Ron asked, looking at Harry with wide eyes.</p><p>"You've gotten into his head again?" Hermione asked, "Harry, we've talked about this-</p><p>"I've told you, I can't always control it, Hermione!" Harry said, clearly aggravated.</p><p>"Nor should you!" Elara said, reaching up to straighten his glasses on his nose. She held his face between her hands for a few moments, feeling the fear and uncertainty of the information he had just been given, thrum through him.</p><p>"If he keeps letting him in…" Hermione trailed off, concern twisting in her as she closed her eyes in defeat.</p><p>"If he doesn't, we have no idea where You-Know-Who is at. Now we do. Harry, what do we need to do?" Elara said.</p><p>"He's going to Hogwarts," Harry muttered, pushing himself off the ground. "Whatever the last of the Horcruxes are, they're there."</p><p>"How are we going to get rid of this one?" Ron asked, "That bloody Goblin took off with the sword!"</p><p>"I think…" Elara bit into her lip, the thought hitting her hard as a bludger to the head. "I think I can do it."</p><p>"What?" Harry asked, his brows pulled together as he looked at her.</p><p>"My grandmother, my father's mother, she had the same abilities that I have," Elara began to explain. "My father showed me the memory of it, when I saw him over Christmas last year. They thought she was insane, hysterical, even. They kept her locked away, she spent a lot of time in St. Mungos… Anyway, it turns out that she just… She felt things differently, deeper, like I do."</p><p>"What does it have to do with killing horcruxes?" Harry asked.</p><p>"I'm getting there," Elara said, with a pointed look. She held up her left arm, shaking back her sleeve to reveal the emerald bracelet she had worn for the last year and half. Emeralds, all but one, slightly cracked, adorned with the charm that Draco had given her to hide her Dark Mark. "You see this?" she held her wrist out, pointing to an unblemished emerald. "This is a horcrux of sorts."</p><p>"Come again?" Ron said, his eyebrows shooting into his hairline. A look shared by Hermione and Harry.</p><p>"It's not… Magic isn't all Light and Dark… There's some grey area to it. My family has a way of ensuring the name gets passed down. This is how."</p><p>"Of course!" Hermione, naturally, was the first to catch on. "That's why your father has been able to, albeit very slimly, navigate his way past death!"</p><p>Elara nodded, "Exactly!"</p><p>"Mind explaining what the hell you two are on about?" Harry asked.</p><p>Elara huffed, "Horcruxes, while used for immortality to people like Vo- You-Know-Who, aren't always used for such dark things. They can be used for <em>protection</em> as well, for instance, protection of a bloodline. By creating a horcrux, my father has guaranteed that he will stay alive until he is able to produce an heir. Once he does, the horcrux is destroyed, and it's passed down to the next generation. When Draco and I came of age, Draco should have been given the bracelet. My father would have destroyed his horcrux, and Draco would perform the ritual to place a bit of his soul in a stone on the bracelet until he, himself, produced an heir and that heir came of age. The bracelet would have been given to his betrothed to use as protection, to ensure that both she and Draco continue until the heir is produced."</p><p>Harry and Ron shared a confused look, but Hermione smiled. "It's brilliant magic, really. Horcruxes are ancient, it would make sense that a family that goes back as far as yours would utilize it to protect the bloodline."</p><p>"Okay, so your family has Horcruxes…" Harry said.</p><p>"My family has <em>a</em> horcrux. And that's not the important part. Because of the protection that it offered, it kept my grandmother alive. My father wasn't of age when she died, you see…"</p><p>"Oh my god," Hermione said, her face lighting up as it clicked in place.</p><p>"What?" Ron asked.</p><p>"My grandmother used her magic to destroy my grandfather's horcrux, so that she could take her own life," Elara said, swallowing thickly. "The bouts of magic when I'm upset or angry… She had them, too. And she knew how to control them, more or less. Until her mind got the better of her. She didn't have the luxury of potions, the way I do."</p><p>"Do you think you can do it?" Harry asked.</p><p>Elara shrugged, "I guess I kind of have to figure it out, don't I? We don't have a lot of other options."</p><p>"Not here," Harry said. "We don't have time to do it here. We need to move."</p><p>"Where are we going to go?" Ron asked, "We can't exactly wander in through the front doors."</p><p>"Hogsmeade," Harry said. "We'll go to Hogsmeade and go through the passage in Honeydukes cellar."</p><p>Hermione and Elara worked quickly to dry their clothes and transfigure them into something a bit more fitting to them, while also healing some of the more painful burns they had all endured. Within minutes, they were ready and grasping tightly to Harry's hand, she closed her eyes as the small stretch of shoreline blurred from her sight.</p><hr/><p>"Well this was a massive oversight!" Elara hissed, as a loud caterwauling charm sounded through the village of Hogsmeade the moment their feet hit the stone.</p><p>"It's gotta be Potter!" the gruff voice of a man called from somewhere to her left.</p><p>"What do we do?!" Hermione asked, her eyes widening considerably.</p><p>"The cloak! Harry put the cloak on!" Elara said, "<em>Disillusionment</em> charms, Hermione!"</p><p>Hermione gave a sharp nod, tapping her wand to her own head, and then Ron's.</p><p>"Wait!" Ron said, "Wait! I have decoy detonators! I completely forgot I grabbed them just in case!"</p><p>"Brilliant, Ron!" Elara cheered.</p><p>Ron pulled several of the small decoys from his pocket and with all the strength he could muster, he set them off and threw them as far away from them as he could, one in a different direction each way.</p><p>"Couple years of Quidditch paid off," Ron said, smiling to himself as they landed a considerable distance away.</p><p>"We could let the Dementors find them…" a voice said.</p><p>Elara's heart rate skipped. She had <em>no desire</em> to face Dementors ever again in her life if she could help it. Her stomach twisted uncomfortably as a familiar feeling of dread sank low in her belly. They needed to get out of where they were, and they needed to do it fast.</p><p>"Maybe we can disapparate," Elara said, hearing the tremor in her voice as she spoke.</p><p>"No. They were expecting us, they probably put up something to make sure we couldn't escape." Harry said.</p><p>"Shit," Ron said, "Where do we go?"</p><p>"I don't know, let me think!" Harry said.</p><p>"The Dark Lord wants him alive, you idiot! If we-</p><p>"And the Dementors won't kill him! Make it a sight easier for the Dark Lord to do it himself though!"</p><p>"Harry!" Elara said, panic stealing her breath as she felt the air turn icy around them. "Harry! What can we do?! They're going to find us!" She could feel the despair sinking into her gut as the world around them became impossibly black, the stars disappearing from the sky as the darkness and unseasonably frozen air began to creep into the alley they were standing in.</p><p>"<em>Expecto Patronum</em>!" Harry said, a silver stag bursting from the end of his wand.</p><p>"They're going to find us now!" Hermione said.</p><p>"Well did you want the Dementors to get us first?!" Harry asked, irritated.</p><p>"Look! That's his <em>Patronus</em> down there, innit?!"</p><p>"Shit!" Ron swore again, "Shit! Harry-</p><p>The loud grinding of bolts on a door somewhere to their right interrupted Ron. "Potter! In here!"</p><p>"Come on!" Harry said, his footsteps falling away from them.</p><p>"Harry no!" Elara said, running after him.</p><p>"In here, you lot! Let's go!" A large man with familiar blue eyes and an enormous grey beard waved his hand frantically, ushering them inside just as Harry's patronus died away and the Death Eaters approached the door.</p><p>"That was his <em>patronus!</em> I know it was! It was a stag!"</p><p>"A stag?" The man said, a booming laugh at the end of the word. "You bloody idiot!" The man cast a <em>Patronus</em> charm, a large horned goat erupting from the end. "Does that look like a stag to you?"</p><p>Elara shifted uncomfortably in the room following the sound of Harry's footsteps as he made his way up the stairs. The man continued arguing loudly with the Death Eaters, his deep voice covering the creaking of the steps as they made their way to the second floor.</p><p>"...And I don't much think your Dark Lord will be happy being called out here for my cat!"</p><p>Elara looked around the room, her hands trembling as the fear of Ron, Harry, and Hermione mixed with her own, vibrated through her in nauseating waves. She sat on the edge of the shabby couch that was shoved against the wall, her eyes falling to a large portrait above the fireplace, a young girl with mousy brown hair and twinkling blue eyes stared back at her. As if she could see straight through the disillusionment charm she had casted on herself. A small smirk pulled at the girl's lips, an eyebrow arching on her forehead as she tilted her head to the side, studying Elara closely.</p><p>The heavy door slammed shut, startling Elara out of her study of the strange portrait. When they heard the locks grinding into place, Hermione dropped her disillusionment charm, as well as Ron's and walked over to the window, pulling the curtain shut. Harry pulled the cloak off himself and sat on the couch next to Elara as she canceled her own charm.</p><p>"Bloody idiots!" The barman swore, looking at the group of teenagers, "The lot of you! Are you trying to get yourself caught?!"</p><p>"Thank you," Harry said, ignoring the insult. "You saved our lives." The man puffed an incoherent grumble and moved further into the room. Harry looked at him for a long time, watching the man before he jumped to his feet, "You're Aberforth! Aren't you? Professor Dumbledore's brother!"</p><p>The man stopped his meandering, turning slowly to look at Harry, but didn't say anything. Elara felt the shift in his mood, which was calm but not <em>pleasant</em>, per se, to begin with. Something grim settled over the man as he straightened his back, his eyes roaming over the four of them.</p><p>"Dumbledore?" Ron asked, "Wait! The Doe! Did you send us the Doe <em>Patronus</em>?!"</p><p>"Doe.. Boy, what are you talking about? You saw my <em>patronus</em> just now! Thick as them, are you?" Aberforth said.</p><p>"Oh… Yeah, well… I'm hungry." Ron muttered, looking down at his shoes.</p><p>"I have food," Aberforth said, moving back toward the stairs and disappearing for a moment.</p><p>Elara stood, walking over to the fireplace and looked at the portrait a bit closer, the girl was young, possibly younger than Elara herself, but there was something about her that she felt drawn to, something she couldn't explain. She felt as if the girl was <em>seeing</em> her, really seeing her.</p><p>"El… are you okay?" Harry asked, his hand landing on her shoulder.</p><p>Elara nodded, "Yeah," she slowly pulled her eyes from the girl in the portrait and looked at Harry, forcing a small smile. "Yeah, I'm fine."</p><p>"You aren't a very good liar," Harry said.</p><p>"I'm fine Harry," she pressed a chaste kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Promise."</p><p>He bobbed his head slowly a few times, as he opened his mouth to speak again, Aberforth entered the room with a tray of bread and cheese and a pitcher of mead. The smell of the warm bread had Elara's mouth watering instantly, and in the same mind, Elara, Harry, Ron, and Hermione swarmed the tray, grabbing all they could hold in their hands. The four of them squeezed onto the small couch together, not speaking another word as they ate at a ravenous pace, guzzling mead to wash the crusty bread down.</p><p>Finally, once they had their fill, Aberforth collected their goblets and took a seat in a large chair by the mantle, "Right then. We need to figure out the best way to get you lot out of here."</p><p>"Out of… What? No. We need to get <em>into</em> the castle, not away from it!" Harry said.</p><p>"Potter, have you fallen off your broom?! Get out! Get away from here, leave the country if you can!"</p><p>"We're not leaving." Harry said, as he squared his shoulders. "If you don't want to help us in, fine. But Dumbledore, your brother, gave us a job to do and-</p><p>"A job?" Aberforth barked out a loud laugh, "Nice job, is it? Easy going sort of thing? Gave you all the details and wrote it out in plain English so you could complete it, right?"</p><p>"Well… No, but-</p><p>"Yeah. Didn't think so. Albus' jobs were <em>never</em> easy jobs. He had a way of asking too much from people he knew would give it to him. Judging by the way you four ate just now, I'm assuming you've spent too long focusing on this job, and not enough time focusing on your livelihood!"</p><p>"Look, what we have to do is important!"</p><p>"It's always important!" Aberforth roared, jumping up from his chair. "You think I don't know my own brother, boy?!"</p><p>"No, sir. That's not what I… I've got to do it, okay?"</p><p>"Got to? <em>Got to</em>?! Albus is dead, last I checked! Save yourself! Get out!"</p><p>"I can't." Harry's voice was quiet, meek, almost.</p><p>Elara shifted in on the cushion next to him, her hand moved to rest lightly on his forearm and he pulled his gaze from Aberforth, turning emerald eyes to her and she felt the desperation pulse through him.</p><p>"And why not?"</p><p>"I…"</p><p>Elara took a deep breath, feeling Harry becoming quickly overwhelmed by Aberforth's questioning, his insistence that they leave. Just as she was about to speak, Hermione cut in.</p><p>"But sir, aren't you fighting as well? You're part of The Order of the Phoenix, aren't you?" She asked.</p><p>"The Order of the Phoenix is no more," he said, turning bright blue eyes, much colder than that of his brother's toward Hermione. "You-Know-Who has won. You'll all have targets on your backs now, working with Potter. You'll all be killed if they find you."</p><p>"To be quite frank, sir, I'll be killed regardless." Elara said, finally finding her voice through her nerves. "I was only going to be kept alive to be used as a tool anyway. So, if there's any chance that what we're doing will hinder that, well then, I suppose I have to try."</p><p>His eyes landed on Elara and she felt a curious bit of intrigued swim through him, "Let me guess, you're the Malfoy girl, then?"</p><p>Elara shifted again, squaring her shoulders and straightening her posture. "Yes, sir, I am."</p><p>Aberforth stared at her for a long moment before speaking, his gaze falling back to Harry. "I don't know what goose chase my brother sent you on. But you'd be better off to leave and not look back. Whatever he's told you to do, I'm guessing he didn't tell you why." He took their silence as answer and continued. "Albus grew up with lies and secrecy. You'd do well to remember that before you go and get yourselves killed."</p><p>The silence that fell over them was stifling and Elara's stomach twisted with the anger that bloomed through Harry the longer they sat. Combined with Ron's vexation and Hermione's nervousness, she could feel a dull throb starting in her temple. She closed her eyes for a moment before looking up at the painting again, the girl studying her every move once more.</p><p>"Professor Dumbledore cared about Harry," Hermione whispered.</p><p>"Did he now? Funny thing, that is. Seems like most people Albus cared about would have been better off had he just left them alone."</p><p>"That girl," Elara said, pointing to the painting behind him. "Who is she?"</p><p>"Ariana," Hermione answered instantly, "I mean… Isn't it, Mr. Dumbledore? Your sister…"</p><p>"Yes. Been reading Skeeter?" He asked, laughing cynically.</p><p>"Elphias Doge told us about her," Harry said, lamely.</p><p>"That old berk. Thought the sun shone from my brother's every orifice. But then again, so did a lot of people, you lot included, it seems. Albus didn't care about anyone but himself."</p><p>"Are you talking about her?" Ron asked, looking up from his lap. "Is that why you hate him so much?"</p><p>"Never you mind-</p><p>"But that's a really serious thing to say!" Hermione said.</p><p>"My sister was six years old when she was attacked by a group of nosy muggle boys who saw her using magic. Accidental stuff. She couldn't control it. When she couldn't replicate the trick, they got carried away."</p><p>Elara could feel the pain seeping off the man, washing away the complex pit of emotions that had been warring inside of her from the others. Completely enveloping her in pain and grief.</p><p>"It drove her mad. She was hysterical, would lash out, hurt people, herself, blow things up and she-</p><p>"She's like me," Elara gasped, the realization settling in her chest and surging through her instantly. "Harry, she was like me!" Elara gripped Harry's arm, her eyes flying back up to the portrait and she saw the girl's face change. She was smiling now, a pleasant, serene smile as she looked at Elara.</p><p>"What are you-</p><p>"She wasn't mad! She wasn't <em>hysterical</em>!" Elara said, jumping to her feet and approaching the painting, "You felt <em>everything</em>, didn't you? Everything from every person, every building, every… every <em>damn</em> tree! You <em>felt</em> it! You weren't insane. You had empathic ability, like me."</p><p>Elara's eyes prickled with tears when the girl's smile widened. She pulled her eyes from the portrait to see Aberforth standing now, staring at her with a completely gobsmacked expression on his face.</p><p>"What are you talking about?" he asked.</p><p>"She had magic she couldn't control, didn't she? Blew things up, shattered windows, broke otherwise unbreakable things, didn't she? Only ever when she was extremely upset, or angry?"</p><p>Slowly, he nodded. "My father went after the bastards that attacked her. Got thrown in Azkaban for it. We moved away, kept her hidden, told everyone she was ill. Otherwise-</p><p>"They would have locked her away," Elara said with a soft voice, already knowing. "You kept her hidden to keep her safe. Mr. Dumbledore, you asked if I was the Malfoy girl, tell me, if you would, what you know about me…?"</p><p>"I know you're wanted, a hefty price on your head. I know you didn't… You were kept away until last year…"</p><p>Elara wet her lips, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth as she nodded, "Do you know <em>why</em>, sir?"</p><p>"Can't say that I do."</p><p>Elara turned to Harry, "I'd like to show him, now, if you don't mind..?"</p><p>"Yeah, of course." Harry said, instantly jumping up from the couch and closing the space between them.</p><p>"Can you… Will you be okay if I show him more than one?"</p><p>"Yes," Harry said. "If it gets him to help us, do whatever you need to do."</p><p>She could feel the skepticism rolling off of Aberforth in waves accompanied by a piqued curiosity. Elara nodded, "No hands this time. I think he'll understand better if he sees it this way."</p><p>Harry gave a sharp nod, clasping his hands behind his back as Elara's fell to her sides. She locked eyes with him and reached into his mind, carding through the rolodex to pluck out an easily identifiable bit of anger. Harry's face became red, as he grit his teeth, vibrating with fury, his nose flaring.</p><p>"What the…" Aberforth whispered, taking a step closer.</p><p>She blinked, giving a bit of reprieve to the anger Harry felt, skimming through his mind to find sadness and loneliness, slamming them to the front of his brain. Harry dropped to his knees, dissolving into tears, crying out for her to stop. She found happiness in his mind bringing it forward and burying the anger, sadness, and lonely feelings that had been there moments before. Suddenly, Harry's sobs of desperation turned to laughter as he held his stomach, absolute elation pulsing through him. After a moment, she gave him serenity, a calm to bring him back to himself, to center himself again.</p><p>"Ariana…" Aberforth said, pulling his eyes from Elara and Harry and looking up to the portrait. The girl was now grinning brilliantly, overjoyed with the sight before her.</p><p>"Things you couldn't explain," Elara said, stooping over to offer Harry a hand and pulling him off the ground. "I know it's too late now, but if it's any closure… She wasn't mad. She wasn't hysterical or insane… She was like me."</p><p>Aberforth cleared his throat, swallowing a few times before he opened his mouth again, "I was her favorite, the only one who could calm her down when she had one of her fits."</p><p>"Every person has their own emotional signature, if you will. Something that differentiates them from all other people. It's hard to explain, exactly what it is… But yours is… Well, it's rather calm. Even when you were irritated a few moments ago, it wasn't a blazing type of anger like Harry feels, or- or a frustration like Ron has. It was calmer, docile."</p><p>His eyes met Elara's, "I wasn't home when it happened. And our mother… She wasn't young, by any means. She didn't know how…"</p><p>"She killed her," Elara said. "She didn't mean to, I assume. But she did."</p><p>He closed his eyes, bobbing his head slowly.</p><p>Elara took a deep breath, blowing it out through her nose. "I've killed too," she said, waiting to see his reaction. He opened his eyes again, sorrow filling them as he looked at her. "It was an accident, I didn't <em>mean</em> for him to die… But I…" she sniffed, trying to keep her own emotions under control. "I was the reason he died."</p><p>"One of us killed her," Aberforth whispered. "When our mother died, there was no one else to take care of her. I told Albus I would stay and do it, I <em>loved</em> her. He didn't care about her! He cared about <em>the greater good</em>, only ever talking about his plans to lead the Wizarding World out of hiding! Grindelwald came along, and well… what's the well-being of one teenage girl when you have the greater good to worry about?"</p><p>Elara was consumed by his sudden cynicism, but under it, she could feel the pain, the grief that laid heavy on his mind. Aberforth continued, "I begged him to let me leave school, let <em>me</em> take care of her! 'No Ab, you need your education,' he said. Ha! Education never did matter much to me! I wasn't talented, I wasn't brilliant like Albus! But I <em>loved</em> Ariana! I had enough of it, had enough of watching her get shoved to the side, listening to Albus and Gellert's plans… I told them to stop. That they couldn't leave and take over the damn world with her! That she needed <em>care</em>, Grindelwald didn't take kindly to that. Pulled his wand on me, <em>crucioed</em> me until I was pissing in my trousers. Albus stepped up and dueled him and then all three of us were… It set her off. She wanted to help, I think, but she… and then she was d-dead."</p><p>Elara kept her eyes on the man, her face pale as he recounted the story of his beloved sister's death, a girl who was so much like herself, so very much misunderstood. She could have just as easily been in Ariana's place, been treated just the same, had her parents feared her. Had her own father not seen it before.</p><p>"It could have been any of us, I don't know who cast the curse that killed her, but it could have been any of us. Albus didn't care though, why would he? He was free of her-</p><p>"That's not true," Harry said. "He wasn't <em>free</em>. I saw it! I watched him crumble, begging for your life, for hers! He was never free of her."</p><p>"Potter, he wasn't who you think-</p><p>"It doesn't matter!" Harry said, throwing his hands in the air. "It doesn't matter anymore! Like you said, he's gone! But <em>our</em> lives are still at risk!" Harry pointed to Elara, "Her life is worth saving! Wouldn't you agree?!"</p><p>"Yes! That's why you should leave!"</p><p>"And then what?! Go on the run for the rest of our lives? I know how this might end. I <em>know</em> I might die! I've known it for years! But if my death means that she lives, that they <em>all</em> live, then sometimes things are bigger than yourself! Sometimes you <em>have</em> to do things for the greater good!"</p><p>Aberforth stared at Harry as he moved forward, taking Elara's hands and lacing his fingers through hers. His jaw was set tight, his chin raised high as he looked the man in the eye, daring him to suggest that Harry was wrong, that he should leave.</p><p>"You may not have liked your brother, but he knew how to defeat You-Know-Who and he passed that information along to me. And I will fight until I succeed or until I die. We need to get into Hogwarts, if you don't want to help us, fine. I'll find another way. But we aren't running."</p><p>Elara looked away from Aberforth, back to the painting of Ariana. She was still grinning brightly, positively radiating with excitement as she clapped her hands, bouncing on her toes.</p><p>"I won't let your sister's death be in vain," Elara promised, looking back from Ariana to Aberforth. "When we succeed, I will make sure everyone knows that she wasn't insane or ill. That there are more like her, that there are others that do the things she did. We've been held captive to fear for too long, and honestly, sir, I'm tired of hiding."</p><p>Hermione and Ron both moved from the couch, Ron clasping his hand around Elara's and Hermione taking Harry's free hand. The four teenagers stood in silence, staring at the man, waiting for an answer. Elara silently pleaded that he would help, hoping that the knowledge that the sister he loved more than anything wasn't the deranged girl she had been made out to be all these years, was enough to sway him.</p><p>Slowly, he turned toward Ariana's portrait, a short laugh bubbled from his throat as he looked at her, vibrating with happiness and excitement. "That's a look I've rarely seen from you, Ariana" He whispered and sighed heavily, "You know what to do."</p><p>Somehow, her smile got even wider, splitting her face in a blinding grin before she turned around, walking down the path that was behind her.</p><p>"Wait," Ron said. "Where is she going?"</p><p>"Only one way into the castle now."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I have been waiting 82 chapters to post this one. (thats including the chapters of Hidden Heir, obvs lol) I am so excited for you all to see where I pulled my inspiration for Elara's abilities from. Please leave a review and let me know what you think!</p><p>Up to this point I've followed canon pretty closely, besides Draco's defection, obviously. However, in order to accommodate Elara's story arc and Draco's early defection, I will need to rework a lot of the battle and the sequence of events that unfolded. If you stuck with me this far, you know I'm trying hard to make her character feel like she fit right in with original canon, so there's a bit of rearranging being done. </p><p>xo</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0041"><h2>41. Chapter 41</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 41: Calm Before the Storm</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Castle by Halsey</em>
</p><hr/><p>"Fuck!"</p><p>Draco looked up with an arched eyebrow as Blaise slammed his books on the table. He had a large gash running down the left side of his face, through his eye, and it was bleeding heavily.</p><p>"What happened to you?"</p><p>"The fucking Carrows!" Blaise said, "Getting more creative with what they consider to be 'rules' that have to be followed. I simply suggested that they, you know, go straight back to Hell where they came from after I found them using this bloody curse-" His hand waved wildly over his face, "On a <em>second year</em>! I thought you talked to Snape? What the hell happened?"</p><p>Within moments, Neville Longbottom was at Blaise's side handing him a cloth to press to his face and going through a bag the D.A. kept healing potions in.</p><p>"I talked to him weeks ago and it's not like he's a very forthright person," Draco grumbled.</p><p>"Well, maybe go talk to him again? The greasy bat hasn't left his quarters in over a month! Maybe he could, you know, <em>do something</em> to stop the fucking torture?"</p><p>At that, Neville snorted. "Hate to break it to you mate, but Snape isn't exactly one to be against terrible treatment of students."</p><p>"Just because he didn't like <em>you</em> Neville, doesn't mean he's awful to everyone. Draco practically grew up with the man!" Blaise argued.</p><p>"Yes, and growing up with him, I agree with Longbottom." Draco said, looking back down to his Potions book.</p><p>"Are you honestly revising right now?" Blaise asked, "You're <em>actually</em> doing your assignments?"</p><p>"Unlike some people, Blaise, not all of us get ahead because of our good looks."</p><p>Neville, again, laughed. "Yeah, certainly a terrible looking and very impoverished person like you would have no knowledge on getting ahead because of their looks."</p><p>"Not everyone can have teeth as large as yours, Longbottom."</p><p>"Oi! That was rude!"</p><p>Blaise snickered and then winced as Neville applied a little unnecessary pressure to the cloth held to Blaise's face.</p><p>Draco continued to work on his potions revision, albeit, he had been staring at the same paragraph in his notes for several minutes when Blaise interrupted. He found it increasingly difficult to concentrate anymore, his marks had started slipping months ago, but now it was almost embarrassing. It was the first of May, and by next month, he would be out of Hogwarts for good, if they made it that long. He could turn his focus on more important things than the healing properties in Phoenix tears and possibly even find Elara. If she were still alive, and <em>fuck</em> how he hoped she were still alive, and possibly find a way to get back to the Manor, to get their parents and leave the country. Maybe go to France or Spain… Even America, if he had to.</p><p>"They've been spotted!"</p><p>At the sound of Ginny's voice, he finally gave up on the largely unread and completely unabsorbed article and closed his book. She burst through the doors of the Room of Requirement, holding a copy of the Daily Prophet in hand.</p><p>"What are you on about?" Neville asked.</p><p>"Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ellie!" Ginny said, tossing the paper onto the table. "They were spotted! Look! They broke into bloody Gringotts!"</p><p>"They <em>what</em>?!" Blaise asked, shoving Neville's hand away from his face and picking up the copy of the <em>Prophet</em>. His eyes scanned over the front page before handing it to Draco.</p><p>"On the back of a fucking dragon!" Ginny laughed.</p><p>There, on the front page of the ridiculous excuse for a newspaper, was a picture of an enormous Horntail, milky white eyes and pale scales, but on it's back, clear as day, Draco could see Elara's face. The entire front of the ancient bank was blown to bits by the force of the dragon emerging, and when he squinted, pulling the paper closer to his face, he swore he could see Elara laughing.</p><p>
  <strong>Undesirables Break Into Gringotts</strong>
</p><p>"Looks like Potter's not the only one whose earned himself a title," Blaise said, as Draco opened the paper to read the continued story on the inside.</p><p>It was complete thestral shit. Of course, it was! The <em>Prophet</em> had taken liberties and dubbed them criminals, claiming the group had used unforgivables and held Goblins at wand point under the guise of Polyjuice to break into ancient vaults and steal gold and jewels. The Ministry, if you could even really call it that anymore, had decided to take it upon themselves to up the bounty on their heads. Adding a collection reward to Weasley and Granger as well.</p><p>Draco sneered at the article, tossing it aside for Blaise and Neville to read. Pansy, Theo, and Luna had all joined as well as a few other younger years, to read about what had happened. Ginny tapped him on the elbow, a silent ask for him to budge over so she could join him on the small bench where he sat.</p><p>"Leave it to Harry to figure out how to break into Gringotts," Ginny chuckled.</p><p>"Somehow, I find it hard to believe that Potter came up with this idea on his own."</p><p>Ginny raised an eyebrow, "Do you honestly believe that Ellie and Hermione would come up with something this mental? Not a chance. That was one hundred percent Harry and my brother's barmy idea. The reason they made it out <em>alive</em>, however, can probably be credited to Hermione and your sister, though."</p><p>Draco snorted, tucking his books and parchment into his dragonhide bag, "You're probably right about that. But then again, I've seen both of them act out in defiance to Bellatrix, so they may not be as intelligent as we thought."</p><p>"Look at you with change of heart, calling Hermione intelligent."</p><p>Draco rolled his eyes, "Yes well, when she essentially sacrificed herself to the end of Bella's wand to keep the rest of them from it, you gain a certain level of respect for someone."</p><p>Ginny gave a small smile and leaned over, placing a swift kiss on his cheek. "There's hope for you, yet, Draco Malfoy."</p><p>"You know, for someone who spent the majority of her life locked in her bedroom or singing songs to cannibalistic plants, Ellie has certainly done a full one eighty." Blaise mumbled, tossing the paper aside. "She's going to get herself killed."</p><p>"Aren't we all?" Draco quipped.</p><p>"Fanged Geraniums aren't cannibals, Zabini. They're carnivorous, they eat other things, not themselves." Neville said.</p><p>"Missing the point, Longbottom."</p><p>Draco pushed up from the small table and walked to the far side of the room. The Room of Requirement had grown considerably since the Christmas Holidays, becoming nearly triple the size of the Slytherin common room to accommodate the amount of students who now sought refuge inside of it. It was no longer just the upper year D.A. members looking to form a resistance to fight when the time came. Younger students from all houses had begun filtering in, trying desperately to get away from the masochistic clutches of the Carrow twins.</p><p>He climbed into his hammock that hung high above many of the others. Ginny, Neville, Luna, Blaise, Theo, Pansy, Seamus Finnegan, Lavender Brown, Cho Chang, Justin Finch-Fletchley and several others all took the top row of hammocks so they could keep eye over everyone in the room, to be the first to see things coming. He had to admit that Neville Longbottom was a surprisingly deft leader, even if he kept a strange set of plants near his hammock that made Draco sneeze. Neville had established a good relationship with the owner of the Hogs Head Inn, Aberforth, and the man brought them food a few times a day for the students who weren't safe to leave the Room of Requirement. Draco had begun to realize that it wasn't safe for anyone to leave, except <em>maybe</em> the Slytherins who were here, and that was only if the Carrows weren't in a completely foul mood that day. Judging by Blaise's face, he could guess that today would not be one of the days they would be able to smuggle food from the Great Hall.</p><p>Dobby had been a large part of bringing them food and information throughout the term, and Draco wasn't happy to have to explain to the others that Dobby had died, by the hands of his aunt, no less.</p><p>"You can feel it, can't you?" Ginny whispered, startling him from his thoughts as he stared down at the throng of students below.</p><p>"Feel what?"</p><p>"The change," Ginny said, standing up in her hammock and waiting a moment to find her balance before stepping over the large gap into his. She settled next to him, folding her legs in front of her. She pulled an apple out of her robes, and then another, handing one to him. She took a bite and chewed before continuing, "It's like the air is different, tense. Something is going to happen soon, I can feel it."</p><p>"Because they broke into Gringotts?"</p><p>She nodded, "They wouldn't have done it without reason. Whatever they were there for, they found it. Which means it's only a matter of time."</p><p>"A matter of time?" Draco asked, taking a bite of his own apple. "Until what?"</p><p>"Until battle."</p><p>Draco sighed, biting off more of the fruit and contemplating her words while he chewed. Finally, he swallowed and looked at her, "Do you think it's going to an actual battle? Everyone running around, shooting curses off and hoping they don't die?"</p><p>"You may not have seen much of it that night," Ginny said, her tone cautious. "But it's not the first time we've had to fight and pray we make it out okay. We lost people, that day, and we'll lose people again."</p><p>Draco suddenly didn't feel very hungry. She was right, of course she was, Ginny had a way of being right about a lot of things. He hadn't been in the fight that night on the Astronomy Tower. He had been staring Dumbledore in the face, holding the man at wand point as he tried to convince Draco to do the right thing. As Elara cried at his side, begging him to lower his wand, to see reason. He hadn't fought then, not really. And the thought of doing it now terrified him. But the defiant look on Ginny's face and the hum of anxious excitement that was constantly consuming the room somehow fueled him.</p><p>Elara's words while they stayed at Shell Cottage together kept ringing through his head. For the last almost two months, it was the only phrase he could hear. <em>When fear makes your choices, it often makes the wrong one</em>. Draco <em>knew</em> fear. Draco knew real, all-consuming fear. This was not fear, this was not nervousness. This was <em>rebellion</em>. This was a carefully curated brand of mutiny that he would have never been consumed with had he not eventually listened to Elara, to Blaise, to Ginny… He was scared, of course he was! But for once, he wasn't terrified for his own life, he was afraid for <em>theirs</em>.</p><p>He had always been terrified for Elara. Ever since they were children and he knew her life would be far more difficult, ever since they hid her away and told people she was too sick to be a normal child, he had always feared for what kind of life she would have. But had never been afraid of <em>losing</em> her. That thought alone was enough to make fire burn in his belly.</p><p>He heard Blaise laugh, he and Pansy telling Neville and Anthony Goldstein some silly story from their childhood. Blaise said Elara's name, and he heard Neville say he missed talking to her.</p><p>She had stolen the hearts of every person she had come into contact with in her short time at Hogwarts, and that gave Draco some relief. He knew that he wouldn't be the only one fighting for her anymore. Not that Blaise hadn't had her well-being in mind since they were children, but they wouldn't have to worry about her as closely as they had in the past. Now, it would seem that since Draco knew Elara would be taken care of and could more than hold her own, he was terrified of losing another witch he had gotten close with. A fiery, defiant, audacious redhead with the brightest blue eyes he had ever seen. Whose freckles covered her from head to toe and he wanted to spend the time to count each and every one of them.</p><p>He knew Ginny could more than defend herself. She had grown up with six older brothers after all, and judging by what little he <em>actually</em> knew of them and the short time he had spent with Bill the few days after escaping the Manor, Ginny was a force of nature on her own.</p><p>But still, some strange primal part of him wanted nothing more than to protect her. To flay the muscle from the bone of any witch or wizard that threatened her wellbeing.</p><p>"Are you scared?" Draco asked, his voice a soft murmur as he slowly pulled his eyes from the scene below him and stared into Ginny's face.</p><p>"Bloody terrified," Ginny admitted. "But if we don't fight, if <em>they</em> win… I can't think about what will happen to the rest of us."</p><p>Draco knew <em>exactly</em> what would happen to the rest of them. The Death Eaters had talked about it ad nauseam in the time he was present at the meetings. There would be a few months of peace, taking in the victory of war and revelling in their triumph. And then, they would move to control other countries. Seize the muggle ministry and enslave anyone who stood against them. Pureblood women would be held captive, sold off and used for breeding heirs. Muggleborns would be used for target practice, or other disgusting ways of torture.</p><p>He shuddered at the thought, his stomach churning uncomfortably as he tried to push the image of Ginny being shackled and forced into some Death Eater's dungeon to be used as they saw fit.</p><p>Movement from the corner of his eye pulled his attention to the left. A large portrait sat above a wide mantle. The girl in the portrait, a finicky brown haired girl who looked to be younger than he was, came into view, walking up the path in the picture.</p><p>"Nev!" Ginny called, obviously catching the movement in the portrait.</p><p>When Neville looked up and followed the direction that Ginny was pointing, his brows furrowed together in confusion on his exhausted face. "Ab? He shouldn't… It's past curfew, he never sends anything this late…"</p><p>Neville broke away from the table, climbing the ladder that was propped against the mantle and standing on the ledge. The portrait didn't like anyone but Neville, it had been figured out. Even Luna seemed to be off putting to the girl. But she always smiled at Neville, and would take him with her through the portrait to the other side, on occasion.</p><p>She motioned for him to follow, a huge smile on her face that seemed very uncharacteristic of her. The look in her eyes and the bounce in her step made Draco's heart beat wildly against his chest. Something wasn't right…</p><p>"I guess I'll be back in a few?" Neville called out, equally as confused as he stepped through the portrait and disappeared down the pathway.</p><p>"That was odd, wasn't it?" Ginny asked.</p><p>"Yes. It was certainly very strange."</p><hr/><p>Aberforth seemed completely irritated with himself after Ariana had disappeared. He paced the room wildly, cursing and muttering to himself before finally turning to Harry and sighing.</p><p>"I'll alert the others," he said. "I've got most of their locations, the ones I don't have, aren't people who would be bothered to come help anyway."</p><p>"You… You're going to help?" Harry asked, confused by the man's change of heart.</p><p>"Looks that way."</p><p>Harry nodded, "Thank you."</p><p>Aberforth puffed out a grunt of acceptance and turned his gaze to Elara, "You keep your word, girl. If we come out of this alive, you keep your word. You tell everyone about people like you, and you clear my father's name. You tell them that the codswollop they read in Skeeter's book about my sister about my family wasn't true. Ariana deserves better than the rubbish that horrid woman wrote about her."</p><p>Elara turned wide silver eyes to him, an earnest expression on her face as she nodded. "I promise."</p><p>"Is that… Harry! That's Neville!" Ron said, pointing to the portrait.</p><p>"I like that kid, he's a good bloke. Ariana likes him too. You keep him alive, you understand me?" Aberforth said.</p><p>"I will," Harry said.</p><p>"Maybe if we're lucky, I'll see you on the other side." Aberforth said, although his tone was grim. He turned and walked down the stairs, leaving the group alone, awaiting Neville. Elara heard him cast a patronus charm from downstairs, giving it a message to deliver to the Order.</p><p>The portrait creaked open, and standing on the mantle was an exhausted and bruised-faced Neville, a look of shock on his features before he jumped down, pulling Harry out of Elara and Hermione's grip to deliver a crushing hug.</p><p>"Merlin, I never thought I'd see you again!" Neville said, turning to pull Ron into the same tight embrace. "The back of a bloody <em>dragon</em>?!"</p><p>Ron laughed, "Yeah."</p><p>"Good to see you mate!" Harry smiled, although Elara could feel his nerves swelling considerably.</p><p>"The dragon was 'Mione's idea," Ron said, something akin to pride pulsing through him.</p><p>"You're kidding?!" Neville laughed, pulling Hermione in for a hug. When his arms dropped from around Hermione, he quickly pulled Elara to him as well. "Your brother and Zabini are going to be thrilled to see you!"</p><p>"We should get going," Harry said.</p><p>"Yeah, mate, of course!"</p><p>As they all climbed up to the mantle, crossing into a dank tunnel and following Neville back toward the castle, Elara found herself swimming in a confusing mix of overwhelming joy and fear. Neville seemed to be giddy with excitement at the sight of them, telling Harry how the tunnel opened up when they needed food, and that he had become rather close with Aberforth. He explained that the tunnel went directly into the Room of Requirement, and it was the only passage that hadn't been blocked off in or out, because of that.</p><p>"Why are you staying in the Room of Requirement?" Hermione asked.</p><p>"Well it's not safe to be anywhere else in the castle, is it? Not since the Carrows came in and took over." Neville spat on the ground in anger. "Bloody menaces, they are! Using <em>crucio</em> on twelve year olds who forget their assignments!"</p><p>"Is that why you're so banged up?" Elara asked.</p><p>"Yeah," Neville laughed, pointing to his blackened eye and a hastily healed cut on his forehead. "Got this for intervening in the detention of a couple of fourth year Ravenclaws. They took a few things out of Umbridge's book, too." He gave Harry a meaningful glance. "Everyone's been talking about you lot all evening though! The <em>Prophet</em> put a huge price on your heads for breaking into Gringotts."</p><p>"The <em>Prophet</em>?" Harry asked.</p><p>"Yeah! You can't seriously think that you broke into bloody <em>Gringotts</em> and escaped on the back of a dragon and it went unnoticed?"</p><p>Ron snorted, "You've got a point."</p><p>"At any rate, what are you coming to Hogwarts for?"</p><p>"We need your help," Harry said.</p><p>"Yeah, of course! Anything you need, Harry!"</p><p>As they came to the end of the tunnel, Elara reached out and grabbed Harry's hand, giving it a light squeeze before the portrait swung open.</p><p>"Nev is back," it was Theo's voice that hit Elara's ears first.</p><p>"And he's got… Who's that with him?" Pansy said.</p><p>"Is that…"</p><p>"It's Harry!"</p><p>"Oh my God, it's Harry!"</p><p>"Ron and Hermione are with him too!"</p><p>"Blaise, <em>Blaise!</em> Look! Where's Draco? Look! It's <em>Ellie!</em>"</p><p>"Well back up now, let us come down!" Neville called, laughter in his voice.</p><p>The crowd that had formed split, creating a semi-circle of space for them to step down the ladder. Elara was the last to climb down and when she was halfway down the ladder, she yelled out in surprise as she felt a pair of hands grip her waist, pulling her from the wood and spinning her around, slamming her into their chest. She looked up to see the dark skin of Blaise's face buried in her hair, his arms tightening around her.</p><p>"Fuck, I missed you!" Blaise said.</p><p>"Always with the swearing," Elara quipped, smiling at the chuckle that rumbled in his chest.</p><p>"The back of a bloody dragon, El? Really? Are you trying to give Draco a fucking heart attack?!" Blaise answered, pressing a kiss into her hair. "You're okay?"</p><p>"More or less," she said, pulling away and giving him a watery smile. "You look terrible though."</p><p>He shrugged, "This is nothing."</p><p>As Harry, Ron, and Hermione were pulled in every direction while everyone cheered and laughed and told them all how worried they had been, she felt another grip on her wrist, pulling her to them. Pansy's face was wet with tears as she hugged her, letting her loose only for Theo to swoop in and steal an embrace of his own.</p><p>"YOU FUCKING IDIOTS!"</p><p>Theo's arms dropped from Elara and she turned around to see Ginny Weasley rushing toward them. She hugged Ron first, "You absolute morons! A dragon? Really?! You couldn't figure out a better way to, you know, <em>not</em> blow up Gringotts?! You bloody arsehole!"</p><p>"Missed you too, Gin." Ron laughed, pressing his lips onto the top of his sister's hair. Ginny moved to pull Harry into just as tight of an embrace and then over to Hermione.</p><p>Elara heard a thud and looked over the group to see Draco as he dropped down from a hammock, a wide smile on his face.</p><p>Draco slammed into her with just as much force as he had the day they arrived at Shell Cottage, his hands buried in her hair as he held her against his chest, pressing kisses into her the top of her head. "You were right," he whispered, low enough that over the hum of excitement of their arrival, no one else would hear it. "I talked to Snape, you were right. You're always fucking right."</p><p>"I'm so proud of you," she said, her voice cracking. "I love you, you know that right? I know I was angry back at the cottage, I was… distant. I know that. But I love you."</p><p>"I love you, too, Ellie. So much more than you can understand. And I'm ready to do what we have to do."</p><p>She smiled.</p><p>Draco stepped away and she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand before being swept into another hug. "Thank you," Ginny said. "Thank you for taking care of my idiot brother."</p><p>"Thank <em>you</em> for taking care of mine." Elara said, trying to push as much gratitude into the statement as she could. "I can never repay you."</p><p>"No, you don't… We aren't back to stay." Harry's voice rang out, flustered as he tried to get everyone away from him so he could think.</p><p>"What do you mean you haven't come to stay? Why else would you be here?" Lavender asked.</p><p>"Look… We.. We have a job to do-</p><p>"So we'll help!" Neville said.</p><p>"No, you can't."</p><p>"What do you mean, we can't?" Seamus asked.</p><p>"It's just… It's the four of us, okay? I'm sorry but you-</p><p>"We've been waiting for months," Pansy said, clearly irritated. "You can't just show up and expect us not to help."</p><p>It was clear to Elara that Harry was completely thrown by the Slytherin girl's statement.</p><p>"Listen, I don't have time… I'm sorry. We're looking for an object! Something to do with Ravenclaw. If you can help with that, then by all means, help. But we aren't here to rescue you."</p><p>Harry's voice was strained, and Elara could feel the disappointment shift in the room.</p><p>"Wha-Whatever we can help with, then." Neville said, giving a sharp nod. "This will help bring down You-Know-Who?"</p><p>Harry nodded.</p><p>"Then we'll help."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey everyone! Just a heads up, I'm having surgery in two days to have my wisdom teeth taken out. I plan on being down most of the week from it, so there may not be an update next sunday. :/ sorry about that! If I can get it written before my surgery, I'll post, otherwise, it'll come when i have it and I'm feeling better! anyway, thanks for reading! <br/>xo</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0042"><h2>42. Chapter 42</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 42: Heading into Battle</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>The Wanting Comes in Waves by The Decemberists</em>
</p><hr/><p>Elara looked around the small crowd as they gathered in a half circle around them. Every single one of their faces showed signs of neglect and punishment, and the overall emotions thrumming through the room were soaked in desperation and fear. She took a slow breath and reached for Harry's hand, squeezing it tightly as she tried to steady herself. This group was ready for battle, whether or not Harry, Ron, Hermione, and herself was. They were ready to fight and put an end to all of the suffering they had been forced into.</p><p>Elara didn't blame them. While living in a tent, or in the woods, or even Shell Cottage, hadn't exactly been a vacation… They had all been through their fair share of horrors… But she remembered the little bit of what Draco had told her about life at Hogwarts this year; the torturings, the abuse, the threats, and she could understand why every single person in this room was terrified, yet determined.</p><p>"You said you're looking for something from Ravenclaw?" Ginny spoke up.</p><p>"Yeah," Harry said.</p><p>"Well what is it?" Blaise asked.</p><p>"We erm… We don't <em>know</em> exactly. It'll be small, something important to Rowena Ravenclaw when she was alive."</p><p>"You don't know," Draco said, drawing out each word with an edge of irritation to his voice. "You have come here to look for something, and you <em>don't know</em> what you're looking for? Fantastic work, Potter."</p><p>"Draco!" Elara hissed in warning.</p><p>He rolled his eyes, "Excuse me for having a bit of fucking <em>sense</em> in my head! But how the hell are we supposed to find something if you don't even know what you're looking for?!"</p><p>Harry huffed in irritation, "Look I know it's not a lot to go off of-</p><p>"That's nothing to go off of, mate." Seamus said, frowning slightly.</p><p>"Alright, yeah, it's nothing to go off of!" Ron said, loudly. He was becoming agitated by the second, "Listen you said you'd help, so help us! Does anyone have <em>anything</em>? Any ideas at all?"</p><p>"Well… There's the lost Diadem," Luna said.</p><p>"Yeah, it's <em>lost</em> Luna, that's kind of the point of the title, isn't it?" Blaise said.</p><p>"How long has it been missing?" Harry asked.</p><p>"No one knows for sure," Cho said. "It's rumored to have been for centuries."</p><p>"Brilliant!" Harry said, exasperated. He jammed his fingers through his hair and stared up at the ceiling, irritation and hopelessness seeping from him.</p><p>"I could take you to Ravenclaw Tower, Harry." Luna suggested, "so you can see what the Diadem looks like. Perhaps we will find a clue that has been overlooked while we're there?"</p><p>"It's been lost for centuries and you think you'll find something?" Pansy asked, clearly skeptical.</p><p>As a small argument broke out amongst the many opinionated teenagers in the gathering, Elara felt a very sudden shift in Harry's demeanor. The slightly irritated edge had turned to cold fury and when she turned to look at him she saw the hand she wasn't holding rubbing at his forehead, his eyes screwed shut and his teeth baring down onto his bottom lip.</p><p>"Harry?" Elara whispered, trying to keep her voice so only he could hear it. "Harry, are you okay?"</p><p>"He's on the move," Harry rasped out. "We need to figure it out and do something, he's on the move."</p><p>"I think you should go with Luna," Elara said. "We don't know what it looks like, so if we can figure out at least that much, maybe we'll have some luck."</p><p>"I don't want to leave you here," Harry said.</p><p>"I'll be fine. Go with Luna, take the cloak and stay hidden."</p><p>Harry nodded and announced his plan to the rest of the room. Luna smiled and took his hand, ushering him toward the door. As they fell through the doorway, Elara heard Luna explaining that it lets out in a different part of the castle every time, so hopefully they would go unfounded.</p><p>"You aren't going with him?" Ron asked, his eyebrows pulled up on his forehead.</p><p>"No," Elara said. "I don't think it's a good idea for me to go. Really it's risky for <em>him </em>to go, but we're running out of options. He saw him again, he's on the move."</p><p>"Oh no," Hermione groaned. "What do we do? If he gets to the castle we'll have to expect battle, won't we? There's no way we're getting out of it."</p><p>"Neville!" Ginny said, her voice cutting through the sea of murmurs. "We need to contact the others."</p><p>"Aberforth began sending out messages with his <em>Patronus</em> before we left!" Elara said.</p><p>"Fantastic! That means we should have-</p><p>Neville was cut off as the portrait swung open and a voice rang out from the mantle. "Hello students! Have you missed us?!"</p><p>"I know we've been gone for so long!"</p><p>"Maybe we can raise a little hell-</p><p>"Cause a little havoc!"</p><p>Elara spun around on her heel, nearly toppling over as Fred and George jumped down from the mantle, not even bothering to use the ladder against the stone. There was a collective cheer from several others as Ginny and Ron raced toward their brothers and hugged them tightly. Once they had stepped away, the twins pulled Hermione into an embrace and made their way over to Elara.</p><p>"No more nearly missing limbs, right?" George asked, smirking.</p><p>"No, all my limbs are in working order," Elara laughed, squeezing George tightly.</p><p>"Limbs are attached but you rode a dragon out of Gringotts, so I guess we still don't know how to function without the dramatics," Fred said, laughing.</p><p>"Shut up!" Elara said, smiling into his chest as he hugged her. "I wasn't the one who came up with that insane idea. You'll have to talk to Hermione about that!"</p><p>"Hermione? <em>Our</em> Hermione came up with riding a dragon?!" Fred said, his voice shaking with laughter as he pressed his hand to his chest in shock.</p><p>Just as Elara opened her mouth to speak again she heard "Look! There's Professor Lupin!"</p><p>Slowly, the room began to fill with members of The Order of the Phoenix. Bill and Fleur came behind Lupin, Kingsely Shacklebolt, Dedalus Diggle… A few unfamiliar faces came through as well, Elara assumed they were allies that had graduated before her time at Hogwarts. She took a moment to collect herself when she saw Katie Bell appear, her stomach churning uncomfortably at the memories of her many blunders over the last two years. Mr and Mrs Weasley were the last out of the portrait and Mrs Weasley greeted Ron with a sob as she held him tightly, kissing his face repeatedly. Once she had checked him over and remarked on how thin he had gotten, she moved on to Hermione, allowing Mr Weasley time to greet his son.</p><p>Elara stood by, watching the family with misty eyes as she felt the presence of Draco next to her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling him into his side.</p><p>"We can't feel bad for them, El. You know that don't you?"</p><p>"I know," she said. "I just wish things could be different. We're going to fight against them tonight, you realize? If he comes here, if he brings all of the Death Eaters here, we have to fight against them."</p><p>Draco cleared his throat and nodded. Soon, she felt Blaise on her other side, resting his arm around her back pressing a kiss into her hair.</p><p>"If we have to fight against them, it will be a duel to the death." Draco said, matter of factly. She craned her neck to look up at him, her stomach twisting uncomfortably at the thought of it. "You know as well as I do, our family is not coming out of this unscathed, Ellie. And if it comes down to you or him, I'll do what needs to be done."</p><p>Elara's chest filled with dread with every second that ticked past. She suddenly found herself feeling panicked and wishing above all else that Harry would come back soon, that he would find a lead to the Diadem and they could get the hell out of the castle before anything happened.</p><p>Draco and Blaise both stepped away from her, walking toward Ginny as she beckoned Draco over to meet her parents. Bill shook Draco's hand and Fleur leaned in to peck each of his cheeks. Elara was pulled from the scene as Hermione and Ron stepped into her line of sight, practically vibrating with anxious energy.</p><p>"I have an idea," Ron said.</p><p>"Okay…"</p><p>"It's actually quite brilliant!" Hermione laughed.</p><p>"Are you going to tell me or should I be guessing?" Elara asked.</p><p>"No, of course.. Right. Well, the Chamber of Secrets," Ron said, as if that explained everything.</p><p>"The Chamber of Secrets…?" Elara repeated, her brows pulling together. "I don't…"</p><p>"Oh! Obviously, you wouldn't know- I forgot you weren't here!" Hermione said, smacking her palm to her forehead. "Second year we-</p><p>"No, I know what the Chamber of Secrets is!" Elara clarified, "I'm just not sure why you're bringing it up."</p><p>"Well, the basilisk Harry killed is still down there, presumably," Ron said. "At least, I haven't seen anyone bring up a giant snake carcass. So if it's down there I'm guessin' it's teeth are down there too."</p><p>"Basilisk fangs?" Elara asked, comprehension dawning on her. "Oh my god, that's… Ron, that's <em>brilliant</em>! Do you know how to get in?"</p><p>"Yeah, I know where to go. I've got to speak Parstletongue though so hopefully what I've picked up from Harry in his sleep talk is enough." Ron said.</p><p>Elara gave a sharp nod, "Are you going now?"</p><p>"I think it'd be best we slip out before anyone notices," Hermione answered. "Tell Harry when he returns, would you?"</p><p>"Of course," Elara said. She surged forward and wrapped her arms around Hermione's neck taking a sharp breath when she felt her friend tighten her arms around her. "Be careful."</p><p>"You too," Hermione said.</p><p>Elara stepped away to give Ron a hug as well and watched as they snuck out of the Room of Requirement, no person paying them mind.</p><hr/><p>It felt like an eternity before Harry finally returned and the look on his face and the urgent air about him forced her to realize that no matter how much hope she had been holding that a full on battle wasn't going to take place <em>tonight</em>, she was wrong. He spotted her immediately and he pushed past the throng of people that had gathered in his absence, giving a few handshakes and head nods as he made his way over.</p><p>"Any luck?" Elara asked.</p><p>"Snape is gone," Harry said "Fled the castle, the Carrows are held up-for now, anyway. McGonagall wants to evacuate."</p><p>"What about the Diadem?"</p><p>"Well, it's lost, isn't it?" Harry said, a bit of an exasperation on the end of his tone that led her to believe he was feeling just on this side of desperate. "It wasn't as if I thought I'd find it in the common room, but- wait. Where's Ron and Hermione?"</p><p>"Went to find Basilisk fangs."</p><p>Harry's brow pulled together and his forehead creased in confusion, "What?"</p><p>Elara shrugged, "They went to the Chamber of Secrets to find a Basilisk fang."</p><p>"Oh, brilliant!" Harry said, "but why are you..?"</p><p>"Waiting on you, obviously."</p><p>Elara was awarded with a grateful smile and peck to the cheek. Harry opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by the sound of Ginny's voice floating over to them in furious tones.</p><p>"I am <em>not</em> staying here while everyone I care about goes and fights!"</p><p>"Ginny, <em>please</em>!" Mrs Weasley begged, "You're a <em>child</em> and I will not-</p><p>"I am <em>not</em> a child! I've spent the entire year helping here, building this!"</p><p>"Gin," Draco said, stepping away from where he stood with Blaise and slowly approaching the small cluster of redheads. "Maybe you should-</p><p>"Shut up," Ginny snapped. "You of all people don't get to tell me to stay out of it!"</p><p>"I just think that maybe it would be best that you not get yourself killed!"</p><p>"But it's okay for you?" Ginny asked, rounding to face Draco head on while her parents and brothers (as well as a few other Order members) looked on, watching the pair as their anger began to eat into their words. "You've been <em>actively</em> planning your own suicide with this for months and you're going to tell me I can't fight? Because I might get killed? <em>Really</em>?!"</p><p>"I have not been <em>planning</em> to get myself killed!" Draco countered, "I've simply accepted that if it has to be that way, then I will do what is necessary to keep you and Ellie safe."</p><p>Mr Weasley's eyes went wide with surprise and Ginny nearly screamed in frustration. Elara and Harry stepped closer to the scene, as Fleur and Remus tried to pull attention away from them with talk of Teddy and brandishing pictures of the tiny boy about. It was at that moment, just as Elara had decided that the need to diffuse the situation was becoming urgent, as Mrs Weasley's understanding of Ginny and Draco's relationship settled over her, that the portrait opened again, banging lousy against the stone wall.</p><p>"Hi. I er- I'm not too late, am I?"</p><p>"Percy?" Mr Weasley said on the end of a breath.</p><p>"Hi, dad."</p><p>Mrs Weasley let out a great sob as Percy climbed from the mantle and crossed the room, allowing his mother to sweep him into a rib-crushing hug, wetting the front of her robes with her tears. Fred and George began laying in on him, but their tone of voice suggested it was all in good fun and Percy seemed to take it as such.</p><p>Draco pulled his eyes away from the scene, Elara could feel the shift in his mood from aggravation at Ginny to a hurt filled solemn realization that they would not get the family reunion with happy tears and crushing hugs. He approached Elara where she stood, next to Harry and reached a hand out, wrapping her fingers in his with a squeeze before letting it fall back to her side.</p><p>"What now, Potter?"</p><hr/><p>The Great Hall was darker than Elara had ever seen it before. The usual floating candles were there, unlit, not allowing any warmth into the hall to fool them on the severity of the situation at hand. Professor McGonagall stood tall at the front of the hall, barking orders out to other Professors and ushering the Prefects together to explain what they should be doing. The room was heavy with terrified confusion, many of the younger students crying as they asked about their material items and their pets. Older students afraid, but determined, talking amongst themselves as they began to gather their courage and prepare to fight.</p><p>Harry's hand wrapped around Elara's and he dragged her along the tables that lined the hall, making their way to the front of the crowded room to talk with the Professor's and figure out the best course of action. She didn't need her abilities to know that his heart was pounding violently in his chest, working hard to disperse the adrenaline he was feeling. He seemed to calm, minimally, as a solid plan for evacuation had been announced and Professors Sprout, Slughorn, and Flitwick moved to their perspective houses to collect the students that wished to leave.</p><p>Elara felt it before she heard it- a dizzying shock through her brain as white-hot fury ripped through her insides and enveloped her every thought. Harry's knees buckled beside her, causing her to stumble forward and then a high pitched scream pierced through the air, effectively silencing everyone in the hall. Elara could feel the intense fear of the young girl who had dropped to the ground, covering her ears and sobbing through her screams.</p><p>Harry gripped Elara's hand and looked at her, his eyes wide as his opposite hand shot up to his scar, pressing his fingertips hard into the thin, pink flesh of his forehead. Pain tore through him and stumbled to the side, pulling Elara with him. Her head began to pulse as the screams of the girl intensified and were echoed by a few others that began to drop, holding their heads in their hands.</p><p>An almost manic wrath cut into Elara's mind. Fear gripped her, drowning every fiber of her being and lighting her insides on fire as she began to search the hall frantically for Draco. He spotted her, dragging Blaise behind him, he made his way closer as he gripped his left arm, his face screwed up in agony.</p><p>"It's him," Harry ground out, hunched over now and sweating as he took in heaving breaths, trying to keep himself upright.</p><p>"<em>I know that you are preparing to fight," </em>An all-too-familiar, cold voice rang out over the grounds, infecting their minds and demanding to be heard. "<em>Your efforts are futile, you cannot fight me. I do not wish to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts, I do not want to spill magical blood."</em></p><p>Lord Voldemort's voice paused and the silence that hung in the air was stifling. It pressed in on Elara from all sides, smothering the thought of any peace that may have been lingering in the hall from days past. Elara looked at Harry, eyes wide and full of her <em>own</em> terror- not everyone else's. She couldn't explain how she knew it, but she <em>knew</em> what was coming next, and as the rest of the words began to flow through the Great Hall at a shrill pitch that decimated her ability to focus on anything else, she gripped his hand.</p><p>"<em>Give me Harry Potter and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you shall be rewarded."</em></p><p>There was another pause that felt as if it would stretch into forever, weighted tension that held so thick in the air the drop of a quill would be heard.</p><p>"<em>You have until midnight</em>."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you so much for your patience on this story. I had a hell of a few months... Had my wisdom teeth removed, caught covid, the holidays.. it was a mess y'all. But thank you for sticking with me. We're getting close to the end, and I am NOT READY *sobs* bear with me as I try to navigate the ending of this and write you something spectacular. I love you all!<br/>xoxo<br/>Mimi</p>
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